


Don't Disappear

by ChangeTheCircumstances



Category: Twin Peaks
Genre: Albert can be a bit of a shit, Denise is supportive and beautiful, Drama, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, One-Sided Albert/Cooper, Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Season/Series 03, Self-Doubt, Slow Build, harry is a puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-11-22 09:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 32,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11377461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChangeTheCircumstances/pseuds/ChangeTheCircumstances
Summary: It doesn't matter how often he keeps calling. Albert can't bring himself to pick up. He can't go back to Twin Peaks. Not after everything that's happened. Not after Cooper.Not until Gordon gives him a case less than two hours away from the small town.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KittyJones](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyJones/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick thank you for anyone deciding to read this. This is meant to just fill in some gaps between the seasons and also go into Albert's head a bit. I'm thinking it'll be about 5 to 10 chapters give or take. Will just have to wait and see.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy <3

Albert woke with a start, his hand shooting out for the phone. He expected it was going to be Gordon while a small, stupid, part of him wanted it to be Cooper. It certainly wasn’t an impossible chance. It could happen. Yet the likelihood was so small he shouldn’t have even been considering it. In that first week, he’d been fine. He’d believed he’d done what was necessary to keep Cooper safe. Jeffries’ information had been sound and Albert…well Cooper had always been that anomaly in his life. Cooper was the one thing where logic didn’t truly prevail and when his talk of compassion and being a humanitarian always came full force.

Cooper was the only one who Albert never really lashed out at, who he put faith in despite his crazed theories. Sure, he’d angered Cooper with his remarks to others, to Sheriff Truman and Andy and the rest, but never at Cooper. Never him.

And then that agent had died and Albert couldn’t say anything. The doubt started creeping in. What if it was his fault? So what if people didn’t like him, he was a good agent. He got the job done. But a death…on his hands…was it even on his hands?

He was meant to protect life, to preserve it. Now he wondered if he’d traded that agent’s life for Cooper’s. That wasn’t right though. He didn’t have the power, the say in who had more value on this Earth. It wasn’t a religious thing. Albert simply believed humans were equal, same way they’re proven innocent, until proven otherwise. And one agent for another, two men who had been just as successful, just as honest and willing to protect others, you couldn’t get more equal than that.

Was it his information? The agent’s own stupidity? Albert needed Cooper to call. He needed confirmation that it wasn’t his fault. Or maybe it was his fault. But at least Cooper was alive, right? At least he’d be safe?

All he wanted was some answers so he grabbed the phone, desperate for Cooper, expectant for Gordon and some new case.

The number he got wasn’t his boss’s and it wasn’t Cooper’s. Neither was it completely unknown, not like he might expect from a man in hiding. He recognized the area code first, immediately knew where it was coming from. Then the next few digits started to click in his mind. It wasn’t the first time the number had called. He’d never answered it though. Still wasn’t positive how the man had gotten his home phone. Either way he hadn’t answered it before and he didn’t answer it now.

Albert let it ring…and ring…and ring…and silence. Finally. His eyes roamed to the clock.

Little after one in the morning. Would have been ten something where he was. He wondered why he was calling at that time, why he was up. Albert wondered what would happen if he actually answered.

“Where’s Cooper?”

“Sorry Sheriff Truman, don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Tell me where he is Albert!”

“Goodbye Sheriff Truman.”

Maybe it would be that mercilessly short. It would be over and then Albert would never have to see that blasted number again. But no, Sheriff Truman wouldn’t be that quick. He’d need more proof, evidence Albert couldn’t give.

He rolled over, pulled the blankets over his head, and tried to fall back asleep.

But now the images were stuck in his head again, images that went into the depths of his subconscious. His doubts and fears, Cooper’s face, and the trees. The smell of those Douglas firs that Cooper always so marveled at.

And then he was there. Of course he was. Angry, grabbing him by his collar. Then that hug, could have called him a friend. Did call him a friend. Cooper had been his friend. Possibly his best mate. And then he had disappeared. And Albert had disappeared, never to be seen again. Never to answer his calls. Never to apologize for what had happened with Josie Packard, for never being more tactful, for never showing up again, for taking his best friend away.

Cooper…Dale his face was there, the same face that Albert had last seen before he’d gone but…no it was off. Something was different. The nose, the lips, the curves, the edges, all of it was Dale except…the eyes. The eyes were off. So dark and soulless and absent and he was falling. Albert was falling. Through the eyes, through the sky that turned to red, velvet curtains. Did he save him?

_Did I save you?_

It was meant as a whisper that turned into a scream, so loud it shook the trees and reached from the Lodge to the Mill.

“Did you save him?” asked Harry. His voice carried even farther, broke through his skin and bones. “Did I save him?!”

“Why are you asking that?! This is on me you dumb hick!” Albert yelled back before suddenly the entire world just felt smaller. Everything was so miniscule and terrifying and Harry just stared back, wide eyed and holding Albert by his collar.

“Did I save him?” Harry whispered as black smoke escaped his mouth, distorting his speech and the world around him. Albert couldn’t respond, didn’t know how. None of this was on Harry. Harry didn’t even know what Albert had done so why was he asking such a pointless question? Albert didn’t have the answers. He was drowning and falling as that smell filled his noise.

Those damned Douglas firs.

Albert jolted forward, sweat dripping down his body as light peaked through the blinds. He could just barely hold onto the image of Dale…of Cooper and those dark…dark eyes. And Harry’s sad, puppy dog expression. Questioning. Always questioning…

The rest slowly began to drip from his mind, broken images, there clarity slowly leaving him.

He rubbed his eyes, checked for any more missed calls, for a voicemail, but nothing was there. Albert relaxed back against his pillows, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and then forced himself out of bed. His morning routine began, same as always. On the moments when he dreamed, when the nightmares came, they never failed to slip away. The days didn’t change. Not really.

Since he was doing mostly paperwork at the moment and consulting on cases closer to home, he made himself coffee, packed a quick lunch, and reorganized his briefcase. He was out of his apartment by six fifty.

Cooper lived-had lived-about as close as Albert did yet his trips to work had always taken so much longer. On one of the rare moments Albert had slept over at his place, he’d finally understood why. He liked to take as many different paths to work as possible. Cooper liked to appreciate the sky, the people, the life around him. Albert did as well, just in a different way. Not in a way that guzzled gas and risked the chance of being five to ten minutes late to work. Granted Cooper had always walked anywhere and everywhere if he had the chance too. Perhaps that made up for all those pointless road trips.

_What streets are you walking down now? Where do you drive to?_

Albert got to his office but not before passing Cooper’s. Whether he had dreams or not, whether he remembered any of it or not, it didn’t really matter. Each day he walked into this building and he was reminded of Cooper anyways. His doubt…his questions, they never really stopped. Just got shoved down for a bit.

Three hours spent in the office and another four doing an autopsy before he got a chance for lunch. Back when he’d still been a rookie, he’d figured out rather quickly that doing lunch just wasn’t something meant for him. To many remarks that were just to rude or harsh or unnecessary. It wasn’t Albert’s fault they were to stupid to see that the same grease and dog shit they shoveled into their faces would kill them in five years time if they weren’t careful. Apparently pointing out discrepancies in ongoing cases was equally frowned upon as well. You were supposed to have tact when talking things like that, something Albert never really grasped onto. The facts should matter the most, no matter where they came from or what might change because of them. That was probably why he’d never get any higher in the bureau. Better to have Gordon there as a wall for any political issues that could pop up.

But no matter, Albert was perfectly happy continuing his routine, sitting in his office with his lab coat thrown over his chair, reviewing his most recent report as he ate what he made that morning. Twin Peaks and the people that resided there were the farthest thing from his mind.

 Up until Agent Bryson came in.

From what Albert could tell she’d stopped with the back and forth and had firmly stuck with Denise. Not that Albert truly cared. Again, all humans were equal until proven otherwise and if anything, Dennis’ disappearance and the permanent appearance of Denise had simply proven that a good majority of their colleagues were not equal.

However, Albert honestly couldn’t recall if Dennis had always been this nosy or if it was some type of womanly intuition that Denise had developed in the past few months. Somehow she always got it right. As far as Albert could tell there was no rhyme or reason to the calls. He hadn’t even picked up one of them.

But so far Denise had been right on the dot.

“He called again. Didn’t he?”

“You know by this point I’m going to have to start checking my office and home for bugs every morning,” growled Albert, eyes still very much focused on the papers in front of him.

“Don’t be silly Albert. You know I enjoy being in the middle of the action.”

“Ah, so I should charge you with stalking instead,” Albert replied.

“Perhaps,” chuckled Denise. She grabbed a chair without asking and gracefully sat down.

Albert glanced at the small bag she put on the edge of his desk. “I see you’ve decided to bring lunch this time. That’s worrisome.”

“Really? That’s the word you use? Usually noticing something like someone eating regularly is considered a nicety between friends.”

“How is it considered a nicety?”

“Could be seen as you taking an interest in a friend’s life.”

“I see it as a colleague getting a little too comfortable.”

Denise seemed to find even greater amusement in that as she laughed. “Well, that doesn’t change the fact.”

“What fact?”

“That you need to talk to him.”

“And what might be the point of that? Best case scenario he gets straight to the point, I respond in turn, and it’s done, or the topic gets danced around and we get into a nice long screaming match that eventually ends in just the same way. His questions don’t get answered. Doesn’t matter what really happens though, it doesn’t change anything.”

“Really? Because I think you just answered what it would change.”

“Did you not just hear what I said? I think your analytical thinking is failing you Agent Bryson.”

“Really? I think it’s improved,” chuckled Denise. Something about the way she said it had Albert glancing over but she didn’t expound on her statement, instead asking, “You performed an autopsy this morning right? A sailor? Now, was he strangled in his own fishing net, drowned, or so drunk that he managed to tangle himself in said fishing net and fall overboard?”

That at least took Albert’s mind off of Twin Peaks as he gave a half smile. He snorted, “Burned to death actually.”

“Well, the world really is full of contradictions, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

* * *

 

Albert didn’t get a chance to understand Denise’s words until the next time Harry called. Three weeks passed between the calls this time. Usually it was shorter, a week at most. Once a full month had passed before Harry called. The timing was never really consistent either. This time he called in the morning, right before work, and yet oddly enough he’d dreamed the night before, as if in preparation for it.

The dreams never really carried any consistency. As fluid and changeable as black smoke. Twin Peaks…Sheriff Truman and Cooper…they appeared often but they weren’t always front and center. Sometimes other cases, other events that hadn’t even involved Cooper, appeared in his mind. Sometimes he saw men that he had prosecuted, that he’d caught…that he’d killed.

Sometimes he looked at their image and Bob looked back.

His fingers moved over the receiver. It would be about four in the morning over there. What had awoken Sheriff Truman? Had he even gone to sleep?

Albert had everything prepared for the day already so he just stood there, coat on, briefcase in one hand, his other fingers levitating over the phone. He touched it just as it stopped ringing and then quickly walked out the door. He was one minute late that day.

Then as if to make matters worse he passed by Cooper’s office and…it wasn’t Cooper’s anymore.

It was good Gordon wasn’t there that morning. He was pretty sure the man’s hearing problem coupled with any remaining comments on Cooper wouldn’t have exactly helped his mood.

It was done now, wasn’t it? For better or for worse, no matter what impact Albert’s information had, Cooper was gone. Dale was gone.

When he sat down, he glanced at his calendar and all he could do was continue and stare. Had it really been eight months? Eight months of no Twin Peaks, no Laura Palmer, and no Dale? Eight months of Harry’s missed calls? Four more months and a year would have come and gone. It didn’t seem right but then, the world wasn’t right. It hadn’t been in a long while.

That day Albert would have completely missed lunch if not for Denise arriving. He’d been stuck at his desk the entire time, eyes firmly glued to papers or his computer screen before Denise showed up.

“I’m guessing you saw his office,” Denise commented as she sat down, her mood dampened a clear amount. Her smile was softer, more kind, pitying even. Albert hated it. Everything just came rushing back all the more clear now.

“Yeah. Well, no point in having useless space.”

“Still, you’ve been mourning him.”

“He’s missing.”

“Yeah, but everyone here knows that after the first twenty-four hours, chances of survival drop. And continue dropping. Even ignoring that you’re just to practical for your own good.”

“I don’t think he’s dead.” _I can’t._

“Maybe not but you’ve decided you’ll never see him again and that’s reason enough to mourn. Isn’t it?”

Albert didn’t respond. Not this time. It wasn’t that some horribly sarcastic comment wasn’t above him at a moment like this. It was…he was to tired. Tired of it all. Not now.

“How long?” asked Denise.

Albert glanced at her and he could tell she knew. He wasn’t one for shouting his private business to the world but he also wasn’t a coward. “You know most of the people around here were to daft to notice. Even the ones we worked closely with.”

“Well, I guess you could say my…unique perspective gives me an advantage,” Denise replied with a soft smile. “Did you ever tell him?”

“No, not that I needed to,” Albert responded. “Relationships like that just…weren’t his thing. He just needed a friend and anyone could be a friend to Cooper. He had a lot of him.” Albert let out a slow sigh before sipping from his thermos and focusing on Denise. “Diane had a thing for him to. Wouldn’t be surprised if a fare number of people did whether they realized it or not. She and I used to talk about it…loving that insane man though she…well I just still can’t understand why she left.”

“She was his secretary, wasn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Met her twice. Always thought she was too smart to be a secretary,” Denise said. “I didn’t know she’d left.”

“Gave her two week notice to Gordon not long after Cooper disappeared.”

“Do you ever see her?”

“I know where she drinks,” Albert replied. “Only broached the subject of Cooper once. Otherwise we just sit, we drink, usually not even together.”

Denise nodded. Her expression then changed and it was clear she wasn’t going to allow all of this past and happenstance distract her from her goal, for the reason why she was there. Because of course she knew. She always did. “Well, at least you have a reason to perk up a bit today. That cute Sheriff Truman called again, didn’t he?”

Albert tiredly rubbed his eyes. “We’ve already established you’re either stalking me, got my placed bugged, or have somehow managed to tap into that Tibetan mumbo-jumbo that Cooper could never shut up about. You don’t need to keep asking me the same question when we already know the answer.”

“Well in that case I think I should get straight to my point. You’re not answering his phone calls because you don’t want it to end.”

“Of course I want it to end! Those calls are nothing but a nuisance in my ever day life! Nothing but a reminder that I really don’t need.”

“Then why don’t you pick up?”

“Didn’t you hear me? I—”

“Last time you told me that it wouldn’t change anything but you believed it would stop him from calling. I’ve worked with you enough Albert to know that this line of logic didn’t come out of your ass. You know Sheriff Truman’s character well enough that you know you could crush all hope and easily stop the calls if you wanted to. Now I just can’t help but wonder why don’t you.”

Silence passed between the two agents, tangible and heavy. Of all days, Albert really couldn’t deal with this kind of accusation today. Not on the day Cooper’s office had been officially cleared out and given to someone else. Not when the doubt and guilt were heavier than normal.

“Albert, you’re not helping anything by just ignoring this. As cynical as you are, you’re not one to bottle up your emotions. You should talk about why you won’t contact him.”

Albert ignored her. He put on his coat and began to gather up his items. Her words slid off him, like water over a smooth rock. He grabbed his briefcase.

“I’ll see you later Denise. If Gordon shows up today, just tell him I’ve gone home early,” interrupted Albert.

“Oh, so that’s what this is about, is it? You know I didn’t quite believe it the first few times but you really are quite sentimental under all that cynicism.”

“Good day Denise.”

Albert didn’t look back as he walked through the office. He didn’t look back until he’d gotten to the car park.

When he did, he almost wished she was there anyways.

* * *

 

Albert didn’t take sick days. He never just up and left work without a good reason. Those closest to him knew that so it wasn’t surprising, just annoying and a bit cumbersome, when Gordon called his home phone.

Already well rehearsed in what talking to Gordon over the phone was like, Albert held the phone a bit away from his ear, clearly hearing, “Albert you haven’t got sick on me have you!”

Guilt gnawed at his chest. “Not anymore than usual.”

“What?!”

“No!”

“That is good to hear Albert! I know seeing Cooper’s office emptied out like that probably wasn’t easy!”

“Well not that you’ve brought it up again you bastard,” muttered Albert. It was so low that Gordon didn’t even notice it.

“Can you fly tomorrow?!”

It seemed like he was finally going off on a proper case. Now he was really getting back into routine. Hotel rooms, shit food. Albert wondered how bad the air quality would be. He supposed he’d have to find out where he was going first. “Where to Gordon?!”

“You’re a good man Albert! And don’t worry! It’s an area you know! Seattle, Washington!”

Albert could feel himself bristling already. It was to close. To god damn close to everything. “Gordon I can’t—”

“Perfect! You can pick up the tickets from my office this afternoon! I’ll give you the details on the case then!”

“Gordon don’t you-argh!” Albert threw the phone back down and watched it bounced off the table before covering his face with his hands. Why now? Why had the universe decided to be so bloody ironic now?

Yet this all just proved what Denise had said, didn’t it? He wouldn’t be worrying about going back up to that state, of being less than two hours away, if he had finished it.

Now Albert’s own logic was working against him. He didn’t want it to end. If Harry’s calls ended then all that had happened in Twin Peaks was gone, Cooper was gone.

But did he have the heart to go back?

Albert didn’t know but for the moment his duty to the FBI and Gordon was stronger than that to Twin Peaks or Cooper or whatever this was he was playing at. At least getting his ass up and continuing at work meant he might help to stop a killer or save a life, depending on what exactly Gordon had set up for him. Albert’s guess was there was a body, or at least a crime scene worthy of one going by his background in Forensic training.

Either way with an actual case placed in his hand, he at least had something to truly keep his mind busy.

He headed back to the office and met with Gordon, gathering the ticket and information for the hotel they’d set him up in. Then came the specifics, the case itself. He looked at the photo in front of him, the fresh corpse. Brown hair and pale skin, a fourteen year old boy.

“At least it’s not a repeat of Laura Palmer,” murmured Albert. Hopefully it wouldn’t be a repeat of what happened afterwards either.

“What did you say?!”

“At least the weather should be good!” Albert yelled back before his eyes slowly turned back to the picture.

Perhaps nothing would change. The case would close and he’d return home and Harry would continue to call despite the pointless nature of it all. Just keep going, just keep breathing. That was all that mattered now.

Or perhaps he’d go and see Harry, see all those stupid people and eat that mediocre food and smell those god damn Douglas firs.

He’d just have to wait until he got to Seattle.

Albert didn’t encounter Denise on the way out but he was sure she’d probably try and convince him of some chance he had. He was a big enough man to admit she’d gotten a lot right. But going back…he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to do that. Not after how he’d betrayed Harry’s trust, tried to go behind his back with Josie Packard and then only made things worse for him. Not after just disappearing, after Cooper disappearing and no questions being answered.

No, Albert decided as he arrived back home and started to pack. He wouldn’t go back to Twin Peaks. It would be better for everyone if he just stayed away while his one lifeline to the town remained through unanswered phones.

He needed to get as much sleep as possible before he flew out the next morning so after packing he got ready for bed. As he lay there, he finally came to an even more painful decision on Harry Truman though. Staying away from Twin Peaks honestly would be better for everyone involved. He was sure of that. But with that certainty it also meant he needed to truly cut all ties. It was cruel, ignoring Harry like this. Albert realized that now. It didn’t matter if he needed to hear that constant ringing. It wasn’t his right to hold Harry there in some warped sense of limbo.

He’d talk to Harry, give answers that meant nothing, answers that gave no closure. Albert would give all he could to the Sheriff and then his business with Twin Peaks would finally be done.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick thank you for anyone who has stopped by to read this or left a kudo and/or comment. It means a lot and just thank you!
> 
> Also, I probably won't update this quickly normally but I simply had time and managed to get this next chapter out. Again, I think this story will be about 5 to 10 chapters but it's still hard to say right this second.
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy <3

Albert got on the flight at about six in the morning and managed to get in two extra hours of sleep before a baby started crying and woke him up. He was never in a good mood after just waking up. It was hardly his fault the mother was insulted by his phrase of “muzzle it”.

Knowing he still had close to four hours left, he decided to go back over the case file. So far the boy hadn’t been identified. He was pretty average looking, would probably match a lot of missing boys, at least at first. He’d been found in an alley, lying face down with no immediately clear cause of death. There were cuts on him though and an oddly specific pattern that had been taken from just over his lower left rib. Skinned to be more precise and the work looked professional.

That was the main reason the FBI was getting involved at all. Gangs had been on the rise in the area and some were worrying that this might be a new calling card. They’d know more once they actually figured out who the boy was, be able to see if he’d been involved in drugs or had any of the precursors that youths who wanted to join gangs tended to have.

“God it’s awful. I don’t understand people like you. How can you look at something like that?”

Albert’s eyes roamed to his nosy neighbor. Thankfully the flight wasn’t full and there was a seat in between them but clearly that wasn’t stopping the woman from trying to peer over.

“Would you rather the perpetrator go free?”

“God no! But just who could do something like that?”

“Likely a family friend, a priest. Maybe his father,” replied Albert. Once he knew the boy’s name, if a gang related incident could be ruled out, it was always best to look at those closest.

“How horrible! My husband would never do something like that!”

Albert gave her a quick once over again and couldn’t help his sudden, sharp laugh. “I would be more worried about yourself doing something as heinous as this.”

“Excuse me—”

“In my line of work, I’ve found affairs to always be a red flag. I suggest just divorcing him rather than murder. It doesn’t work out for most people in the end.”

He ignored the desperate and quick ramblings that fell from the woman’s mouth. Seeing as she’d been unable to respond with a straightforward retort, it seemed his guess about the missing wedding ring and the clearly beyond-her-pay-grade necklace had led him to the right conclusion, particularly after she’d mentioned her husband.

At least he’d successfully shut her up now and hopefully it would stay that way for the rest of the flight. As he refocused on the case file, he flipped a page and saw a note. Someone had folded and shoved it in between the pages.

Albert’s eyes roamed over the words as his frown deepened. After finishing it, he carefully tore it up into small, rectangular pieces and kept them together with a paper clip so he could throw it away later. Damn Denise and for making him think of Twin Peaks again.

 As he came closer and closer to Washington State, Albert had fought harder and harder to keep any and all memories of that place away.

_You know Twin Peaks is just an hour and twenty-four minutes away. An hour and two minutes with your driving. Go and see him Albert. It would probably do you both some good._

The utter nerve of her! Albert hadn’t even seen her when he’d returned to the office yesterday afternoon meaning she’d likely gotten someone else to put the note there, perhaps even Gordon the bastard.

He’d already decided anyways. He’d wait for Harry’s next call and then it would be over and done. He didn’t need to see the man in person, especially when all the information he’d be giving was really no information at all. Harry was looking for answers that Albert didn’t have so no point in trying to make a visit out of it.

Albert pushed his brain to focus back on the file at hand but he must have been more tired than he’d thought. Looking over the case flowed into a feeling of falling through his chair, falling through the sky. He hit the ground hard, dust billowing up around him as all his bones broke in one agonizing second.

His head lolled to the side, noting the black and white zigzag pattern on the forest floor. Cooper was running from him. All he could see was the back of the man’s head before a second Cooper jumped over him and followed the first.

He tried to move but the action only made him want to scream, the noise stopped by the feeling of something lodged in his throat. The mass moved up and up as Albert’s lips widened apart and an undistinguishable bug crawled out between his teeth.

Albert coughed hard as he just barely kept from choking on his own saliva. Around him he could hear the pilot announcing their descent and he was suddenly back in his seat with the case file in front of him.

“Excuse me sir, we ask that all trays be put up as we begin our descent.”

Albert just grunted and quickly put the case file away. Looking at his clock, he set it back three hours making it now just eleven minutes to nine in the morning. At least the flight had been on time which turned out to be more than he could say for the officer that picked him up.

The car ride turned out to be an intense one as Albert didn’t let his displeasure go unheard and it was clear his driver wasn’t used to hearing such things shouted at him. Still, they managed to get to his first stop, the hospital, without crashing into anything so that was something positive to hold onto at least.

Once at the hospital, he was accompanied down to the morgue by another officer.

“The Chief Medical Examiner should be down there now,” the officer said, “along with someone who thinks he may know who the boy is.”

Great, it sounded like Albert would have to deal with a grieving family member now to top it all off. Hopefully the medical examiner was smart enough to know that they couldn’t allow for the man to touch the boy’s body. It was amazing how many people let their emotions get the better of them and allowed evidence to be contaminated just for momentary relief.

The officer followed him in as Albert set his small suitcase aside and straightened up. There was of course a chance that the man didn’t know the boy, was mistaken, but Albert was betting on tears and crying and-hopefully-the medical examiner just barely holding the man back. What he wasn’t expecting was the defeated slump in the shoulders, the sign of a man who had seen something like this before. He wasn’t expecting the tweed or the hat.

He wasn’t expecting Harry.

The words, “I see they let you out of your cage,” got stuck in Albert’s throat. It didn’t seem right, having Harry here in this morgue. It didn’t seem right that he was in the city, away from his home.

And then he finally turned around and any doubt in Albert’s mind disappeared. It was Harry.

“Ah, you must be the FBI agent they sent us. I’m Donna Manson. This is Sheriff Truman from the Twin Peaks area,” the medical examiner said.

Albert just barely nodded in understanding, eyes not moving from Harry’s. He expected the man to shout at him, maybe keep those puppy dog eyes and just ask, “Why?” in the saddest fucking voice possible. He expected distance and anger and regret and all Albert was hoping for was that he could get through this examination without a scene.

He needed it to be distant because now it was just to damn close. He’d failed Harry and the guilt was rising.

Slowly, his hand came up in a desperate attempt at keeping it distant. He hoped Harry got the message. Not here, not now. _You can fucking throw chairs at my head just not this second._

But suddenly Harry was grabbing his hand and pulling him forward. He was off balance, half expected the man to hit him and for the next sound to be his body hitting the ground. Instead, Harry kept him upright and held him in a hug.

Albert felt like he was just moving automatically but his arms still came up, gripped Harry tight, and just kept him there for a few seconds. He was real and he was there and when he could have done so many things, he’d just decided to hug him.

When they pulled back, their hands remained where they were, almost like Harry was going through the same mental strain Albert was. He’s here. He’s real.

And then it broke as Harry let go and slapped him hard on the shoulder. “Good to see you Albert.”

“You to Harry.” God he hated how gruff his voice sounded, just speaking those words-that name!-out loud.

“Ah, so you know each other,” Ms. Manson said.

Albert’s eyes narrowed at her. “No, I just greet every man I meet like this.”

“I apologize in advance for Albert,” Harry said, his mouth twitching towards a smile yet sadness still very much present in his eyes.

“So you identified him?” asked Albert as he moved closer to the boy.

“Yes, it’s Jackson Booker. He moved into Twin Peaks about three months ago to live with his aunt and uncle.”

“Parents?”

“Car accident.”

Albert nodded. Glancing at Harry, he added, “You don’t have to stay for the autopsy.”

“I’m guessing it’s necessary.”

“We need to know how he died. Nothing obvious like strangulation marks or a bashed in skull.” He noted the wince. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine Albert. I’ll go talk to the detective in charge, tell them what I know about the kid. I’ll be back soon.”

Harry touched his shoulder again, the moment lingered, and then he was gone. It seemed the universe’s sense of irony was very much intact and his original plan of distancing himself from Twin Peaks would have to be put on hold for the moment.

He took the coat and goggles that Manson handed over before putting gloves on and went to work. He carefully cut the boy open and then cracked the rib cage, the work familiar and calming. Time stopped mattering as Albert simply worked, thankful that Manson was more competent than the typical medical examiner.

It took about three and a half hours before Albert could finally throw away his gloves and Manson started to stitch the kid back up. He walked out of the room to get a breather and saw that Harry was already back.

“Been waiting long?”

“Only about ten minutes. I got coffee,” Harry replied as he stood up and offered the cup.

Albert nodded in gratitude as he took it.

“So, any ideas?”

“I’m almost positive he died from Cardiogenic shock.”

Harry blinked, clearly surprised by the outcome. “You’re saying he just keeled over?”

“A rather elementary way to put it but yes. It’s pretty similar to a heart attack actually. It can be treated but the chances of survival are low, especially for the elderly, chronically ill, and young. He seemed perfectly healthy. Once toxicology comes back we’ll know if there was anything else in his system that might have helped to trigger this or at least pushed the process along.”

Harry nodded. The way he was looking down, how his body seemed to sigh with some great grief, Albert knew now it was coming. The questions, the accusations. Albert couldn’t help but close his eyes in anticipation.

“Albert, I—”

“Ah Special Agent Rosenfield. A pleasure to have you.”

Albert opened his eyes to see who he presumed to be the lead detective that he was meant to make contact with. “Detective Elizabeth Fritz?”

“That’s me,” she said as she held out her hand. Albert took it firmly as she added, “I’m sure you’re used to plenty of officers fighting you tooth and nail over issues of jurisdiction, but I assure you that won’t be an issue for me, for either the FBI or Twin Peaks.”

“Good to know,” muttered Albert. “Has the family been notified?”

“I was waiting for you,” Harry said. “Figured I could fill you in on the way there.”

Over an hour long car ride with him? Christ, that was the exact opposite of what Albert wanted. But better to get this out of the way now. Besides, if this wasn’t gang related then he needed to make contact with the aunt and uncle and he couldn’t check into the hotel room until four anyways. Any issue that could arise with Harry was secondary to this case.

“Fine by me.” He turned to Detective Fritz. “My report is with Ms. Manson. If you need to contact me later, I’ll be staying at the Embassy Suites.”

“Sounds good. Let me know if you get anything from the boy’s guardians,” she replied before passing him to go into the morgue.

Back alone with Harry. Would he finish what he’d tried to say? It didn’t look like it as he simply said, “Cars in the parking lot if you’re good to head out now.”

“Let me grab my bag.”

The walk over was done in silence, Albert only  daring to speak once the doors were closed and Harry was pulling away from the hospital.

“So tell me about Jackson Booker.” He looked at Harry, could tell the man was tempted to speak on other things. Yet whatever internal battle that was waging inside him clearly held the same morals that Albert had. They needed to find the boy’s killer first.

“His parents died four months ago in Little Rock, Arizona. He stayed with a family friend for a few weeks before everything got settled and then he went to live with his godparents, the aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Wexler.”

“You must have known him to be able to positively ID him.”

“About as well as his record.”

“Troublemaker?” questioned Albert.

“Early signs of being a pyromaniac. I’ve seen his records from before his parents died. It only got worse afterwards.”

“Did you ever have to charge him?”

“Twice in the three months he was in Twin Peaks. Another time I was pretty sure it was him but he didn’t admit to it and there was no concrete evidence to suggest otherwise.”

“What did the guardians think of this?”

“Uncle always paid the fines and said it was just him being a boy. Mrs. Wexler always got a lot more upset. It was hard to tell if her way of disciplining him made it better or worse.”

“Had he ever been to Seattle before?”

“Besides when he flew in from Arizona? Not to my knowledge.”

“What about drugs?”

“I thought you said he seemed perfectly healthy.”

“Doesn’t mean he couldn’t be dealing.”

“No, I don’t think so. We can sweep through his room while we’re there though.”

“Just don’t have Andy do it. He’d probably get distracted by a stuffed bear or toy train.”

“Albert.”

“Come on. We both know he’d successfully drown himself in a one inch stream given the chance.”

“ _Albert_!”

Harry was either fine with the silence or didn’t know what else to say. Albert looked out the window and watched the city change to trees before he dared to speak again.

“Did the kid’s actions damage any private property? Make anyone angry?”

“Everything that was damaged was owned by the town. Most people understand…understood what he was going through. Only Margaret really seemed upset.”

“The Log Lady?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I doubt she killed him so we can already strike her off the list,” sighed Albert. “You know, we still don’t know where he was actually killed. Forensics swept through that alleyway and it’s pretty clear his body was just dumped there. All we’ve got is a partial boot print and that could have been made by anyone.”

“If we can figure out his movements then maybe we can figure out if he was killed in Seattle or if the city was just a dumping ground.”

“Good point,” sighed Albert. There wasn’t much more to talk about in regards to the boy. He’d look over his police record once they actually arrived in Twin Peaks and would later have a better idea if he needed to look up on the aunt’s or uncle’s past.

“I’ve called.”

So now they were finally going to start talking about it. Just great. “I’ve been busy.”

“Yeah, figured as much,” Harry replied in a voice that clearly didn’t believe him. “Probably had plenty of cases to deal with.”

“And you?”

“Quieted down for the most part. This is the biggest thing since…well probably since Josie’s death I guess.”

“I’m sorry about that.” Albert let out a slow sigh, ready to look and see anger and pain. When he turned though, all he saw was Harry giving quick, confused glances as he continued to focus on the road.

“Why?”

Albert had expected to hear that question. He expected to hear it again in regards to Cooper. He was a bit surprised he was asking it now though.

“You probably wouldn’t have seen her die if I’d been more tactful about sharing information.”

“Albert, if Cooper had his way and I hadn’t found out I…I probably wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye,” murmured Harry. “Did you…did you really think I’d be holding onto that?”

“Yes?”

“Hell Albert. You were just the forensics guy. You were just passing on information like you were supposed to and…stuff happened like stuff does.”

“So you’re not angry?”

“Heartbroken would be the more accurate word I think. Or was. Maybe I still am, Christ I don’t know. I haven’t thought of her in weeks,” sighed Harry.

“Didn’t mean to bring her up.”

“You didn’t. I did,” Harry muttered. “But maybe we can talk about something else, hmm?”

Albert was only to happy to agree and even better it wasn’t about Cooper. Clearly both of them weren’t ready for that talk. Or maybe Albert had gotten something wrong for once in his life. Maybe that hadn’t been why Harry had called again and again. Whatever the reason, they moved on to talking about everyday life really. Harry would say a short anecdote and then Albert would do the same. Harry asked after Denise and Albert simply replied, “She’s been annoyingly astute.”

It was only once they were closer to Twin Peaks that they fell into silence again, memories washing over Albert as they drove through the Podunk hell. The Wexlers lived on the edge of town and a few minutes from the Double R Diner. As they drove up, Albert said, “You never told me how you found out about the boy so quickly.”

“Mr. Wexler reported Jackson missing yesterday around noon. It’s a small town. I figured if he was still here someone would have come forward but they didn’t,” Harry replied as he stopped the car. “Called into the Seattle police department since if he was running away it made more sense to go to a big city, better options. They told me they had a kid in their morgue matching his description. I figured it was best if I checked it out.”

Albert simply nodded as his eyes roamed over the house in front of them. “Rich?”

“Compared to the rest of the people in town? I suppose you could say that. They built this about six years ago. Been living here since then.”

As they walked up to the front door, Albert let Harry take the lead as he wasn’t exactly the best when it came to house calls like this.

“Sheriff Truman, I imagine you bring news?” asked a man, presumably Mr. Wexler.

“Yes,” Harry sighed. “I think it would be best if we sat down first. May we?”

It was clear that Mr. Wexler was already formulating why Harry would have said that. His face was easy to read as the worst possible outcome came front and center in his mind. He stepped aside though, letting both in without further questions.

Albert remained slightly back, looking over the house as Harry sat down with the couple. Albert’s eyes only moved back to them and refocused on the conversation when he started to hear that wretched sound of someone sobbing.

It was painful watching how she cried, watching the whimpers rip through her throat as her husband held her. It reminded Albert of when Cooper held Leland’s dying body. He chose to stay silent until Harry had managed to calm her down and had said all those heartfelt things that were meant to make people feel better but rarely worked.

“We need to know your nephew’s last movements before he disappeared,” Albert said.

“And who are you?” asked Mr. Wexler.

“FBI. I’ve been assigned to the case.”

“Oh that’s good! That’s good, right Richard,” Mrs. Wexler desperately said. “He’ll help. He’ll help us.”

Albert was just thankful she wasn’t near him because he was pretty sure she’d be clinging to his arm if she was.

Mr. Wexler just gave a stiff nod as he said, “I suppose you want to know if he was acting odd these past few days, right?”

“It would be helpful, yes,” Harry replied.

“Well…it’s honestly hard to say. You’ve been dealing with…I’m sorry you did deal with him quite a bit,” murmured Mr. Wexler as his wife cried all the harder again. “He never really grew accustomed to living here, living with us. Maybe he was a bit more distant, a bit more volatile but then, maybe I’m just imagining it to try and make sense of all this.”

“It’s perfectly alright Mr. Wexler. When you and your wife are ready, it would be extremely helpful if you could come down to the station and make a formal statement,” said Harry.

“Yes, yes of course,” said Mr. Wexler.

“We’ll need to look through his room,” added Albert, making it a statement rather than a request.

“Oh, yes of course. Right up the stairs. First door on your left.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry for your loss,” murmured Harry as he quickly followed Albert up the stairs. Once away from the grieving aunt and uncle, he added, “You could have been a bit kinder.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered either way. They lost their nephew three months after losing their brother and sister-in-law.”

“Point taken,” Harry grudgingly admitted as he took the offered gloves from him.

Walking into the boy’s room, Albert couldn’t help but feel that it was off. For a kid that apparently hadn’t been happy with his new living arrangement, that got in trouble with the law, it just seemed to full and to bright.

Still, after looking through the room’s nooks and crannies there was nothing of particular interest, not even in the hiding places that most teenage boys would have used. Albert left empty handed as Harry spoke with Mr. Wexler again, the man promising to be in first thing tomorrow morning to give a proper statement. Once in the car, Albert agreed to go to the Sheriff’s department to look over the kid’s files. Along the way though, one small fact kept bothering him and he couldn’t help but mention it.

“For a beginning pyromaniac there was an odd lack of matches, lighters, accelerants of any kind,” Albert muttered.

He glanced over when he clearly felt Harry’s eyes on him.

“What?”

“That’s what you latch onto?” asked Harry.

“Listen, pyromaniacs tend to start fires as a result of stress. It’s a pretty common factor. That explains why he’s gotten worse since his parents died, you said it yourself,” muttered Albert. “Setting fires was probably this kid’s way of dealing with shit and he didn’t have any damn matches in his bedroom. Something like that should be like a security blanket but there was nothing. Now don’t tell me that isn’t the slightest bit odd.”

He watched Harry bite at his bottom lip. Maybe he watched a little too closely but it didn’t really matter. Harry was concentrating on the road and Albert’s statement.

“Alright I’ll admit it’s a bit weird.”

“Thank you,” Albert smugly replied.

Harry rolled his eyes in response before adding, “Listen, don’t mention this death to freely just yet. I know it’ll probably bring Andy to tears.”

“Christ, why is that man part of law enforcement,” groaned Albert. He rubbed at his eyes and the next few minutes passed in silence before they arrived.

A lot of memories could have come up. Plenty of strained and bad ones. But the first thing that came to mind was when he’d come back and he’d hugged Harry and Cooper had smiled and all had seemed right, even if for a moment. Somehow that hurt more.

A quick look towards Harry told him he was probably thinking the same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided that this will probably be about seven chapters, six full ones and a nice little epilogue. And again, not sure exactly how regular the updates will be, I just happened to again have time to write this. Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy :)

As Albert walked in he took note of the time first, twenty-six minutes passed three. Then came Lucy’s somewhat familiar voice, her words catching Albert off guard.

“Oh! But Sheriff Truman, how did you get my message if I didn’t give it to you yet?”

At least Harry looked just as confused. “Sorry Lucy, I don’t follow.”

Lucy picked up a sticky note and read, “A Special Agent Denise Bryson called for you Sheriff,” she paused to grab the next sticky note, “Truman. And she said that Special,” another sticky note, “Agent Albert Rosenfield would be in,” another, “Seattle and that you should go and,” last one, “say hi,” she finally finished.

Albert let out a soft growl. Of course Denise was still trying to get involved. Damn her.

“Well, thank you for the message Lucy,” Harry replied. “We’ll be in my office if anyone needs me.”

Lucy gave a quick, enthusiastic nod of understanding though Albert was paying more attention to the baby that he hadn’t realized was tucked away in the office as well.

“Well at least we know it won’t be winning any noble peace prize.”

Harry gave him a pointed look as they headed to his office but Lucy clearly hadn’t heard as her focus had returned to her desk.

“So what’s this about Agent Bryson calling?” asked Harry with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t know.”

“Really? Cause it seems more like you just don’t want to tell me.”

Albert’s eyes narrowed. “You sound amused.”

“Because clearly whatever Denise is doing, you appreciate it no matter how much it’s irritating you.”

“How the hell are you coming to that conclusion?”

“Because it’s the same face you’d make in response to something Cooper…would do.”

The mood fell just as quickly as it had risen. Again, it was difficult to tell what direction the conversation would go in. Harry seemed somewhat guilty for being the one to bring up the man this time, uncertain about what to add after that, so Albert simply asked, “The boy’s files?”

“Over here. They’re still out since I was looking over them yesterday.”

Albert nodded and for the next hour they looked through them again, Albert taking notes of anything slightly suspicious or of the areas the kid used to hang around. He also got from the information on the kid that he had been in the car when his parents had died but had barely gotten a scratch. One last little extra piece of information was the fact that Mrs. Wexler was his blood aunt and Mr. Wexler was the in-law though Albert didn’t think that would matter.

“Sheriff Truman, a Detective Elizabeth Fritz from the Seattle Police Department is on the phone for you.”

“Thank you Lucy. You can go ahead and patch her through.” Harry put it on speaker. “This is Sheriff Truman.”

“Hey, Detective Fritz here. I just wanted to tell you that we narrowed down the shoe print and it matches a size 10 Merrell Hiking Boot though that’s pretty worthless until we find something to compare it with,” she said. “We’re also still getting access to any and all security cameras in the area but nothing note worthy yet.”

“Thank you Detective Fritz. We talked to the aunt and uncle and they plan to come in tomorrow to make a formal statement about their nephew’s last movements. We’re looking over the kid’s records now. I’ll have Lucy fax them to you.”

“Thanks. I’ll call if we find anything in the security footage.”

“Thanks again,” Harry responded before the call ended. He leaned back and rubbed his face tiredly as it was clear what his mind had latched on to.

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t’ think this is going to drag on for to long. We have more evidence than we initially did then. This isn’t another Laura Palmer case.”

“I hope you’re right,” sighed Harry though from his posture he did seem a little more at ease, if only because of Albert’s voice. “School’s already out so we can do those interviews after Mr. and Mrs. Wexler tomorrow.”

“Can you take me to where the kid started the fires for now?”

“Yeah. You think it’ll help?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” replied Albert.

They gathered up the files and got them back into order as Harry went and asked Lucy to fax them back to the Seattle Police Department. Once they were back in Harry’s car, they drove around the town. Albert saw the two confirmed and one supposed place that Jackson Booker had burned. The damage was minimal and no one had been hurt in any of the incidents.

Albert wasn’t sure what he’d been hoping for but it was clear there was nothing useful that hadn’t already been put into the police report. He crossed his arms and looked at the current scene with a narrowed gaze as he tried to figure out what else he could do before the day was out. He wished the guardians had given a full statement already but even if he’d pushed them, nothing would have likely changed. What to do—

His line of thought stopped in its tracks as he furiously blinked and fully turned towards Harry. “What?” He couldn’t be sure of what he’d just heard.

“I’m guessing you haven’t really eaten today so why not? Dinner. My place.”

He could say no. He really should say no. But then, what was the point in staying distant when he was already here? Since he was forced to work with Harry anyways, he knew that avoiding Coop would be impossible. Discussion of the man would eventually come up and stick.

And besides, he had missed Harry.

He hadn’t gotten to see him as often or possibly know him as well as Cooper but he had come to the conclusion that Harry was a good man and those were in rare commodity, at least in Albert’s opinion. Even if tragedy would be the outcome, why not have some smiles along the way. No point in making the whole thing a tragedy if it didn’t have to be.

“Yeah, why not. Just promise me you’re not going to go in the backyard and skin a squirrel.”

Harry blinked, looking surprised for a few seconds before a smile broke over his face that equally surprised Albert. “No squirrels. Promise,” Harry laughed as he walked back to his truck.

Albert followed and as he got in, he realized he had never been to Harry’s place. Like everywhere in this small ass town, it only took about three minutes to get there. From the outside it looked exactly as Albert expected it to, small but still spacious, made of wood.

“At least tell me you have running water.”

Harry just laughed in response, more amused than annoyed by the comment. It was a nice laugh. Albert could only think of one other time he’d heard it and yet today he’d already been privy to it twice.

“So, are you going to be predictable and have only frozen meals in there with a six pack of beer or do you plan on actually cooking?” asked Albert as he followed behind Harry.

“Actually cooking. I may not be a gourmet chef but I know a few tricks of the trade.”

Albert just snorted in response as he walked in and began taking note of the place. Now that he was inside he could tell that it really was a proper house, big enough for two, maybe even three or four. Seeing as only Harry lived there, Albert kind of expected a place this size to feel a little to empty but there seemed to be plenty of knickknacks here and there.

There were pictures on a side table that Albert would have to take a look at later and things that could only be described as woodsy on the wall. A totem sat on a small bookcase and there were fishing boots that had been thrown to the side. On the couch in the living room was some type of shawl that made Albert wonder who had made it. Everything looked lived in and personal. Despite the Podunk hell that it resided in and the fact that wood was clearly the leading design factor…Albert didn’t really mind it.

“You can throw your coat wherever,” Harry said as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen. Albert followed and placed his coat over a chair at the kitchen table.

“So did you really look at your life as a bachelor and decide, this is the right sized house for me?” asked Albert with a raised eyebrow.

“It belonged to my parents actually. Grew up here.”

Made sense and Albert wasn’t to surprised. He caught sight of a family photo hanging on the wall and moved closer. Harry’s hair was possibly even longer and curlier. Albert guessed him to be about fifteen or sixteen in the photo. Two grownups, obviously his parents, and then another, slightly older kid, inhabited the image.

“You have a brother?”

“Yeah, Franklin. Not that anyone ever calls him that except for me and Dad. He’s just Frank to everyone else,” said Harry as he started to look around his kitchen.

“I guess you got the short end of the stick.”

“Hmm?”

“With the last name Truman. Lucky for your brother your last name wasn’t Roosevelt.”

“Well we actually were named after the presidents so it would have been fitting either way.”

Albert just shook his head, lips quirking up in a small smile as he walked behind the counter. “So what gruel do you plan on feeding me?”

“Stew?”

“Pretty basic. Chances of screwing up and killing me are low. Why not?”

Harry chuckled in response as he grabbed a pot and then got a few vegetables out. “Here, make yourself useful and cut these.”

Not minding the chance to keep busy, Albert shrugged off the jacket of his suit too and threw it by his coat. After about three minutes of chopping and cutting his tie went as well as the stove continued to heat and the water started to boil. He realized that neither had really talked and he didn’t mind it. It was comfortable, just going through the motions rather than trying to force in conversation. When words finally did break the silence, it was Harry instructing him in what to do with what he’d just cut and then he slipped back into silence again, just as comfortable as before.

When they were done with prepping it and all they had to do was let it cook, Harry got out two beers and said, “So, how are things at the FBI?”

Albert wondered if Harry was trying to push the conversation towards Cooper without being direct about it. He replied, “Same as always I suppose. Ironically this is my first real case since my last one in Seattle.”

“Yeah?”

“Been doing paperwork, helping with autopsies close to home. That kind of thing. Had to give a talk at the Academy on how to spot the difference between natural deaths and suspicious deaths and why you should always have someone run toxicology no matter the situation.”

“Wait, you were a teacher?”

“For _a_ class.”

“You? A teacher?”

“Why is this so amusing?”

“I just feel like you’d be more inclined to strangle one of your students than actually teach them.”

“Listen, I can’t get angry at their own stupidity if I don’t give them time to make comments or ask questions alright? If one of them was dumb enough to need clarification, they can ask a fellow student.”

Harry snorted. “Of course that would be your tactic.”

“Ha ha. And your life has been any more interesting?”

“Point taken,” said Harry. They continued talking for a bit and once the stew was done, migrated back to the living room where they sat together on the couch.

After his first bite, Albert made sure to pause the current conversation to add, “Adequate and I don’t think it’s going to kill me. Well done Sheriff Truman.”

Harry just continued to smile in response as they then continued talking.

At one point, Albert glanced at his watch. He couldn’t help but frown as he wondered what he should do about getting back to Seattle. It was already seven forty and it would be well past nine by the time he checked into the hotel.

“Stay the night.”

Albert blinked, rather thrown by the request. He felt like his entire body had frozen for a few terrifying seconds. He wasn’t quite sure how the words left his mouth because he was pretty sure he was still frozen to the seat but somehow he heard his own voice say, “Well, I wasn’t planning on forcing you to drive me all the way back but you can take me up to the Great Northern at least.”

“It’s late. No point in bothering them at this time. Besides, you have your suitcase with you. Just stay,” Harry replied.

“I don’t—”

“I’ve got a guest room.”

“I just—”

“Stay. Please.”

Albert couldn’t help the small frown. He was almost foolish enough to believe that Harry wanted him to stay and wasn’t just being nice because it was his small town duty. It was like he wanted to convince him, not assure him that it would be an inconvenience. Albert threw that idea out of his head though and simply replied, “If you insist.”

From there, it was somewhat easy to fall back into a bit more conversation since Albert wasn’t going anywhere though at the back of his mind kept replaying the words, “Stay. Please.” The conversation only stopped when he finally asked, “Where are your keys so I can get my bag?”

“Oh, the doors aren’t locked.”

Rolling his eyes, Albert couldn’t help the, “God damn small towns,” that escaped his mouth though Harry still very much smiled through that.

Once he’d gone out, grabbed his bag, and came back in, he saw Harry had gone to clean the dishes. He looked into the kitchen, was tempted to ask why, why did he want him to stay, why be so insistent, but succeeded in keeping his mouth shut until Harry walked back in.

“Right through here. I’ll need to set it up first though. Haven’t used it in a while.”

“I’ll help,” Albert said, following him into the room.

As they prepped the bed, he couldn’t help how his eyes moved over the room. He took in the scrapes on the floor like furniture had constantly been moved, and there were small holes on the wall, likely from tacks used to hang up posters and the like. Depending on where his parents’ room had originally been, the window was also perfect for sneaking out.

“Yours or your brother’s?” asked Albert as he finished the last corner.

“Franklin’s. I took it when he left though. Bigger room and better window for sneaking out.”

Albert’s lips quirked upwards at getting that detail right.

“We’ll go down to the station tomorrow, see if Detective Fritz has got anything for us, and then interview Mr. and Mrs. Wexler. Afterwards we can go to the school, see if any of the kids there have anything useful. Should be easier interviewing them with them all in one place.”

“It’s the best we can do right now,” agreed Albert.

Harry nodded as a moment of awkwardness settled among them before the man added, “Just uh…ask if you need anything. Night Albert.”

“Good night,” sighed Albert, watching him go before slowly sinking onto the bed. It felt very surreal after all those missed calls. Even more so that he’d seen the home phone and could imagine where Harry might have sat or stood, waiting for him to pick up, probably knowing by the fifth or sixth time that he wouldn’t anyways. Even more amazing, they’d successfully kept Cooper at bay. Yeah, it was impossible to go anywhere in this town without thinking of the man but at least they hadn’t started that painful conversation yet.

Getting ready for bed, Albert gave the case file and his notes one last look before properly laying down. Here of all places, he expected the nightmares to be at their worst, the dreams all the more vivid, all the more sweat inducing. Albert partially even feared the thought of waking up Harry because of some stupid symbolism that he couldn’t quite understand that caused a cry to rip through his throat.

Instead, Albert woke up to light coming through the curtains. He hadn’t sweated through his shirt and there was nothing lingering in his mind, nothing slipping through the cracks of reality. He felt fine. Even better actually. He felt rested.

With a shake of his head, Albert got dressed in another identical suit before walking out. Hearing noise in the kitchen, he headed there and noted two things. One, Harry was making breakfast, and two, it was seven fifty.

“Morning.”

“It’s seven fifty,” Albert verbally reiterated. He hardly ever slept in. That was a miracle in and of itself.

“Yes, and in another twelve hours it’ll be seven fifty again. That’s how time works Albert.”

“Alright, don’t ever do that again. I’m the sarcastic asshole alright? Shit like that coming out of your mouth is unbecoming and ruins that cute, backwoods sheriff demeanor of yours.”

“Cute?”

Albert hadn’t quite meant to use that word, at least not out loud. But to hell with it. In for a penny, in for a pound as the saying went. “I stand by what I said,” he shot back. Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t steer the conversation into a safer route. “Coffee?”

Amusingly enough, Harry somewhat stumbled over his words as he said, “Uh…yeah it’s um…here, let me grab you a mug.”

Usually a good cup of coffee really got Albert going in the morning. This time he was oddly in a pleasant enough mood that the coffee, though good, was more of just an added bonus to an already good morning here.

“It looks like it’s going to be a busy day. Better to eat now,” Harry said, handing over a plate of scrambled eggs with toast on the side.

“Thanks,” commented Albert. He decided to remain standing, using the counter as his table. Since it was pointless going over details of the day that they both obviously new, they ate in silence and then Albert helped with the dishes before going out.

Once back at the Sheriff’s Department, they were met with Lucy and a phone call. Upon seeing them, she quickly stopped her writing and said into the receiver, “Oh, just one second. He’s right here. Would you like me to connect you?”

Albert raised an eyebrow, expecting it to be Detective Fritz with hopefully some new and important information.

Instead Lucy said, “Where would you like me to transfer Agent Bryson for you Agent Rosenfield?”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he noted Harry’s amused glance.

“You can take it in my office. Unless you’re not going to take it.”

“No, better to do it now than wait,” sighed Albert. Denise could be relentless at times.

He headed towards Harry’s office while he heard Lucy very carefully talk Denise through her process of transferring the call over.

Once alone, Albert picked up the phone and said, “If you’re just calling to make sure—”

“Official business actually, but I’m glad to hear you’re in Twin Peaks,” chuckled Denise from the other side. “Since you didn’t check into your hotel last night, Gordon wanted to make sure you were ok. I figured you’d be in Twin Peaks.”

“Well don’t sound too pleased. It’s only because the dead kid is actually from here.”

“Hmm, quite a coincidence.”

“Yes, and if someone wasn’t actually dead I’d believe it was all your doing,” retorted Albert. “Why the hell did you call Sheriff Truman’s office?”

“Because I figured you’d be avoiding Twin Peaks at all cost.”

“You know I did have a plan.”

“Oh? And exactly what plan would that be?”

“I was going to answer his next call, tell him what he wanted, and then that would be that.”

“Oh Albert.”

“Hey! Don’t patronize me!”

“I’m really not.”

“Your tone of voice suggests otherwise.”

“Albert, I think you should talk to him. Honestly, truly talk to him.”

“It’s not like we have any real history,” Albert gritted out. “This is about Cooper. That’s why it’s so damn hard and it’s the only reason why.”

“No, it’s part of the reason. You’ve just realized that keeping Sheriff Truman in some warped limbo is crueler, even if the answers you have aren’t what he’s looking for. You’re more willing to put him to rest because despite your sourpuss exterior, you are a good man but you’re doing it at the expense of yourself.”

 “I don’t have questions that need to be answered!”

“Albert, I really think you do, even if you’d rather not admit it.”

And dear god she was right. Of course she was fucking right. And Harry was god damn right to because he did need to hear this, he needed to know that someone understood even if it was pissing him off and a small part of him that didn’t want to admit it yet did appreciate Denise’s insight.

“There is nothing to discuss.”

“Albert…I think you need closure just as much as Sheriff Truman does,” Denise kindly responded. “Just think of what I’ve said.”

Massaging his temple, Albert murmured, “You know I will.”

“Good, which brings me to my next point. I figured you were in Twin Peaks but I called the Great Northern and they said you didn’t check in last night so who were you—”

“Goodbye Denise,” Albert interrupted, hanging up as he just barely caught wind of her laugh.

Shaking his head, Albert took a moment to compose himself before heading out of the office. He was met with Deputy Chief Hill which was probably a better run in than with Andy. Albert had initially believed very little of Hawk’s mystic mumbo-jumbo and he still wasn’t inclined to put absolute faith in the man. Still, if he was ranking these clowns then he’d probably put the man in second as far as most competent went.

“Sheriff’s been filling everyone in on Booker’s death. He told me to inform you on what the Detective in Seattle had to say.”

“Let me guess, he’s comforting Deputy Sniffles at the moment,” muttered Albert. Hawk said something under his breath that Albert didn’t fully catch but definitely made his eye tick.

Nevertheless, Hawk didn’t push the issue and simply said, “At the moment they have an estimated six suspicious vehicles in the area that seemed to stop around that alleyway from 11 o’clock the night before to four in the morning.”

“Any plate numbers?”

“Only partials. They’ve got a lot of witness they’re trying to cross reference, get the most accurate descriptions they can.”

“Well, it’s something at least,” muttered Albert.

“Also Mr. and Mrs. Wexler arrived. The Sheriff wants you to start the interview.”

“Great,” Albert sighed. Hopefully the woman wouldn’t cry to much. “Well, you know where they are. Lead the way.”

Walking over, Albert got wind of Andy’s crying before being lead into the main room where Mr. and Mrs. Wexler were already sitting. They started to stand but Albert quickly motioned for them to stay seated as Hawk left.

Sitting down, Albert turned on the recording and said, “This is Special Agent Rosenfield of the FBI at the Sheriff Department of Twin Peaks. The time is eight twenty-two in the morning. I’m with Richard and Barbara Wexler, the uncle-in-law and blood related aunt of the victim Jackson Booker.” Mrs. Wexler gave a little, sob at that. Albert resisted the urge to sigh, flipped open a pad to write on, and said, “So, let’s start simple. When was the last time you saw your nephew?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a huge thank you for those reading this! I know I've been saying not to expect regular updates but I think that I will continue updating every other day since I've just managed to squeeze in as much time as possible to right. Again, thank you you so much for the kudos and comments. It means a lot and I hope you enjoy this next chapter :)

“I last saw him Tuesday, four days ago,” Mr. Wexler began. “He was acting like he usually did, sullen, distant, easily angered. He’d been through a lot so we could understand why. I was in the kitchen putting up groceries when he blew through. He grabbed an apple and left.”

“The time?”

“About five o’clock I think.”

“And you?” asked Albert as his gaze turned to Mrs. Wexler.

“I was at the car when that happened. Still gathering groceries. He didn’t-didn’t say anything and walked back towards town,” Mrs. Wexler replied in a tearful fashion.

“And you didn’t report him missing until noon the next day?”

“He was gone pretty often, hours at a time. He always came back for breakfast though, ever day. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right,” Mr. Wexler said.

“Had he made any friends, any enemies at school that you know of?”

“The teachers said he was smart, just didn’t apply himself enough. He never talked about anyone much, good or bad.”

“We never got a call about a fight or anything,” Mrs. Wexler quickly added.

“You said he would just leave without warning sometimes. Any idea where he would go?”

“We have a shed at the back of our house. I caught him in there from time to time,” said Mr. Wexler. “From what I heard from those around town he just kind of wondered around for the most part.”

Albert continued with the inquiry and eventually Harry joined him though he seemed content in Albert leading it. He asked a few questions about how well the couple knew others in the town and found them to be rather distant from the community. Then he discovered that at the start of Booker’s stay he’d kept in contact with a few of his friends from Arizona but that contact had slipped over time and they hadn’t received a call from the state in the past month.

The only other interesting fact was when Albert realized they had their own child. Harry looked just as surprised. Albert realized it when he asked if there was anything else specific they’d like to say about the boy’s mannerisms, anything that might key them into his final movements.

Though not exactly helpful, Mr. Wexler commented, “He always got mad when Barbara called him Stefan.”

“Who’s Stefan?” asked Albert.

“Our son,” murmured Mrs. Wexler. She looked about ready to go into tears once more but thankfully her husband took control again.

“He died seven years ago. Twelve years old in a swimming accident. He and Jackson looked remarkably alike.”

“Ah.” It was really the only response Albert could think of. The death of a child was a horrible thing but that comment had really done nothing and he resisted the urge to point out to them just how stupid something like that was. Why would that have anything at all to do with the boy’s movements? They needed useful information right now! Not someone’s sob story!

“If it’s alright with you, we’d like to take another sweep of his room, perhaps the shed as well,” Harry said.

“Yes, yes of course,” sighed Mr. Wexler. “Anytime.”

“Thank you,” sighed Harry. “I think that concludes our time for now. We’ll keep you updated.”

Albert stayed back as Harry walked the couple out. Once they were gone, he asked, “Are we ready for his classmates?”

“Yeah. Depending on how long it takes we can see about looking through the Wexler’s home again this evening or tomorrow.”

With that agreed, they headed to the school where an announcement had clearly been made from the looks on the kids’ and teachers’ faces. Nevertheless, Albert imagined that their thought process was quite different when compared to the town’s feeling on Laura Palmer’s untimely death. Perhaps if this boy had been a resident of Twin Peaks for life, perhaps if he had been better liked, the faces would be sadder and more tear filled. Instead, it was clear that a singular thought was running through people’s minds.

_At least it’s not someone I care about._

Albert couldn’t blame them. Not after how Laura Palmer’s death had ripped through the town and upstaged their little primetime family show.

Almost every person they talked to that day said the same thing. Sure, the words were different but it was clear from everyone’s tone that no one had anything helpful to add. Albert was sure that if he voiced his opinion Harry would have fought him on it but to him it was clear: they just didn’t care. Jackson Booker hadn’t been around long enough to become part of the community. The teachers were the only ones who said anything a little more noteworthy but their phrases were probably hardwired into every teacher across the US when it came to talking about their students.

So much time dedicated towards nothing.

“He didn’t like the woods. They scared him.”

Albert jolted from his daze. Each interview had been as tedious as the last and what few words he had been saying could have been playing from a tape it was all so repetitive. Now he was focused in again, one child finally saying something different from the others.

“Why didn’t he like the woods Chris?” asked Harry.

“Don’t know. I think it was just because he was used to the desert, you know? Since he was from Arizona,” said the boy with a small shrug.

Albert let out a long, mournful sigh. Well that was exciting. He could have easily remained on autopilot for that. “Nothing else?”

“Well, he also had me hold onto his matches for him.”

“His matches?”

“Yeah. He said after the two fire incidents his aunt wouldn’t allow them in the house.”

As Harry gave the boy a stern talking about giving those matches to his mother, Albert tried to shove it all together. There had to be something important here, anything! But no, nothing suspicious was really sticking out. Any normal human being wouldn’t want their offspring lighting things ablaze, especially after being charged twice for said incidents. Albert would have been more surprised and worried if the aunt hadn’t cared.

With the last classmate walking out of the room, the restful sleep that had jumpstarted Albert’s morning had officially run out. God he needed another cup of coffee.

“We have a boy with odd, post-mortem markings that died from shock and was randomly dumped in Seattle,” sighed Albert. “Nobody’s seen anything and nobody cares. I guess this is going to be harder than I first thought.”

Harry just gave a slight nod, his face mirroring Albert’s own mood.

“I suppose we should head to their home, though I doubt it’ll be any more fruitful than this venture was,” muttered Albert. He started to pack up the notes and recorder just as someone came in.

“Hawk, what are you doing here?” asked Harry.

“That Detective from Seattle, they’ve managed to narrow it down to a more specific vehicle that was spotted outside the alleyway. A GMC truck, dark color, or a light colored Audi Sedan depending on what time of night the body was dumped. It doesn’t help much for them considering the population of the city but she thought it might come in handy for us, if the killer is from here.”

“And?”

“I’ve got six vehicles matching the two descriptions. I brought information with me, figured we should start making inquiries as soon as possible.”

“Thanks Hawk. You take three, and we’ll take the others?”

Hawk nodded in agreement and once the information had passed over, Harry and Albert were going around the town, meeting with the people on the list in the hopes something important would come up. Oddly enough they did meet with Ben Horne but any suspicion around him was overruled by an airtight alibi. Besides, as sleazy as the man was, Albert couldn’t see him scaring a child to death and partially skinning him.

They met back up at the Sheriff Department and spoke with Hawk but it seemed he’d had as much luck as them. They tried to follow any line of suspicion, tried to look at it from multiple angles, but nothing was really coming up. At one point, all Albert could do was stare at a photo of the kid, the one showing the size of the skinned mark by the ribs. It was the most unique piece of evidence that they had but so far it meant jack all.

When nothing else could be done and they decided to put off searching the Wexler’s place for tomorrow morning, Albert left with Harry. He needed something to keep his mind off of everything, something to clear his head so he could go in tomorrow and look at the Wexler’s place in a new light. He needed his mind distracted only when Harry spoke, it wasn’t quite the distraction he had wanted.

Voice soft, careful, it was obvious Harry had been waiting to re-ask this question for a while. “Why did you never pick up?”

Albert was thankful that Harry asked it upon arriving at his home. It gave Albert time to ignore the question and get out of the vehicle. He didn’t expect the man to suddenly grab his arm and spin him back around though, stopping his straight shot to the front door.

“What the hell Harry—”

“Why didn’t you? Why?”

There it was. The tone of the voice, the look, this was how Albert had imagined it would all go. He felt like his stomach had dropped through the floor and just barely managed to force out, “Why did you keep calling?”

He thought that his question would only momentarily stop Harry. The answer would be an obvious one. He needed to know what had happened to Cooper. He needed to know why he had disappeared. It was that simple, right?

But Harry’s grip slowly loosened on his arm instead. The man looked conflicted, maybe even a bit confused like he hadn’t really thought through his own reasoning. Why had he kept calling?

“Listen I…fuck,” muttered Albert with a shake of his head. “I shouldn’t even be trying to avoid this. Before I even came back, I decided that I was going to tell you and that’s the truth. I don’t know what’s happened to Cooper. He disappeared for me just as effectively as he disappeared for you.”

Harry blinked, thrown by Albert’s words. That wasn’t right. That wasn’t the reaction Albert had prepared himself for. “I…I wasn’t calling about Cooper.”

“What else could you be calling about then?” asked Albert, the words practically shooting out of his mouth like some attempt at a shield. Now it was his turn for confusion, for not understanding. It had to have been about Cooper, hadn’t it?

“I…hell I don’t know.”

“How can you not know? You’ve called me a dozen times.”

“I know, I know,” murmured Harry. “I mean, I guess it did start like that. I wanted to know if you knew where he’d gone. If you had seen what I’d seen. But then I just…I needed someone who understood.”

“I’m pretty sure this whole damn town understands the Lodge and the mystic shit better than I ever will,” Albert muttered.

“No I don’t mean…not that. I missed you, alright Albert? Minus how rude you can be at times, I missed your view on things, how you thought of everything, how your mind worked. Cooper turned out to be one of my best friends, it doesn’t matter that I’ve only known him for a fraction of my life compared to others here, but he fit with Twin Peaks. You never did and you made sure that was known and…I liked it.”

It could mean many things, the implications were wide and varied but all Albert managed was, “Gotten sick of your small town, huh Sheriff?”

“Not quite sick of it,” Harry said with a half laugh. “But I just…I needed that outside opinion, something new.” _I needed you._

Harry didn’t say it. Albert couldn’t be completely sure that those words were what he meant. But he liked to imagine it. “You know, every time you called I’d just stare at it, all the scenarios going through my head. I thought you’d be angry. I thought you’d be demanding answers that I couldn’t give, that I didn’t know.”

“That doesn’t explain why you didn’t pick up though. You’re to practical Albert. Even if it hurt me, you would have just told the truth and left it at that.”

Well, if Harry could figure out that much of the truth then why should Albert lie and keep the rest of it from him too? He had a feeling he would figure it out eventually anyways. “Maybe I just didn’t want you to stop calling.”

Albert watched Harry’s reaction carefully, watched how he shuffled his feet and looked away for a few seconds. To be perfectly honest, Albert had no idea what was going on. The reasons, the reactions, none of it was what Albert had prepared himself for. Then it hit him and he couldn’t stop laughing, couldn’t stop the sound from bubbling up and bursting from his lungs.

Denise hadn’t been right but then, neither had Albert. Harry was to stubborn to give up on a friend, to give up on Cooper, but any closure he had needed had already come. It was Albert that had needed closure. It was him who needed to talk about this and, as Harry had put it, talk to someone who understood. How had he gotten it all so turned around?

“Albert, you’re scaring me a bit here.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he managed to say as the laughter ebbed from his voice. “I’m just realizing I got something so very, very wrong.”

“And that’s…”

“I suppose a good thing,” sighed Albert.

“What was it you got wrong?”

“You, your reasoning, but mostly my own. I’ve been letting it eat away at me because I can’t tell anyone and I let that cloud my judgment of you.”

Albert finally looked at Harry again, looked in his eyes and saw uncertainty and compassion. Harry’s hand came up again, rested on his arm though now much gentler than the last time, a comfort. “I don’t hate you Albert, even if you really piss me and others off sometimes, and I don’t blame you for Cooper. I can’t understand why you’d blame yourself either.”

“Because I’m sitting on information I can’t even tell my boss.” Albert had never planned to speak this far in the role he’d played involving Cooper’s disappearance. He’d never meant to tell Harry about this or really anyone. But he’d been so wrong before and it was eating away at him, continuous and painful. He had to let it out now and better to do it in the forest of a small town that hopefully no one was dumb enough to ever visit. “I gave information to an agent believing that it would protect Cooper, would save him. Now he’s gone and someone is dead and I don’t know if I did the right thing.”

“Albert, if there’s one certainty about you, it’s that you try to be a good man,” murmured Harry. “From the start I didn’t think that but now that I’ve gotten to know you, that I’ve worked with you, I don’t doubt that you did what you thought was in Cooper’s best interest.”

“That doesn’t excuse my actions if they were the wrong ones.”

“No, of course not. But it doesn’t change who you are. You’re a good agent and you’re a good man and even if my reasons had been different for calling, I still wouldn’t have been angry with you. Not over something as important as this.”

It was an admittance Albert needed to hear he realized once his shoulders fell and he felt his entire body just heave this great sigh of relief. And then Harry’s arms were wrapping around him again and holding him and Albert just whispered, “You’re hugging me.”

“You look like you need it.”

Albert couldn’t argue with that as his arms came up and pulled the man just a little closer.

“You should have picked up sooner,” murmured Harry.

“Yeah…yeah I probably should have,” Albert sighed as the two finally moved apart again. Like at the morgue, they didn’t immediately let go but this time they didn’t have an audience or a corpse that needed their attention.

Albert wanted to keep him there. Now that all this was out and his heart wasn’t weighed down so much he wanted to keep the one that had helped to fix that near, wanted to be reminded that sometimes he could be horribly off and horribly wrong about it all but that things could still turn out alright. And Harry…well Albert wasn’t quite sure why Harry’s hands were still lingering. Not that he minded but from Harry’s own slightly perplexed look Albert would bet he wasn’t this hands-y with most people.

“How about you prove me wrong again that you small town folk can’t cook more than squirrel?” suggested Albert.

“I’ll do one better. You can properly help me this time,” laughed Harry, finally moving by Albert and into his own home though his hand almost certainly lingered as he went.

“Oh, so I wasn’t helping before?”

“Stew’s easy. We’ll do something a bit more exciting tonight.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“Don’t then. We’ll keep it a surprise and see if you can make a guess along the way.”

Albert couldn’t help but chuckle at that, again noting how much easier he seemed to be able to breathe. After he put all work to the side and threw off his coat again, Harry started instructing him in slightly more complicated things than just chopping a few vegetables. This time it started in silence but did not continue that way as Harry asked, “When did you meet Cooper?”

Not really expecting it, Albert paused and just looked at the counter top, just really stared and thought about it as hard as he could and finally murmured, “We happened to have a class together, at the academy. He wouldn’t shut the hell up.”

Harry laughed in response and from there, Albert slowly just continued. He talked about Cooper, about Dale and it didn’t hurt so god damn much. Harry made a few comments here and there but mostly Albert just talked and talked and it just felt…good. He could tell Harry appreciated it as well. It wasn’t like Albert was giving any special insight into Cooper. The man hadn’t changed much over the years but for Harry it was still an insight he hadn’t been privy to.

Once dinner was done and Harry had set everything up, Albert finally stopped to realize they were done making dinner while he’d been so wrapped up in his own story telling.

“I’m not saying it looks bad, but if the name of the dish is something as ridiculous as fish in foil I’m physically hurting you.”

“Blame my mom for that then,” laughed Harry as they sat at the kitchen table this time instead of the living room.

Albert joined him and added, “You know, I don’t think I actually asked you if it was alright to stay another night.”

“You don’t have to ask something like that. You’re a friend and I’m being hospitable. It’s allowed.”

“Good to know,” Albert replied. This time they ate in silence, Albert lost in his own thoughts while wondering what Harry’s were. It was only once they started to clean up that they spoke again.

“So what role did Denise exactly play in all this because I’m assuming you haven’t breeched Cooper with her.”

“No, I haven’t and never will,” sighed Albert. “As of right now, no one can know about that, not unless I find Cooper again or some other miracle happens. But I will say if I didn’t know better, Denise was tuned into some higher plane because she always knew when you called.”

“She did?”

“Yes and she’d usually corner me in my office,” Albert muttered. “She’s very good at getting information out of people whether you like it or not and even if she doesn’t have the full picture, she’s good at predicting what people should do.”

“And so since you weren’t originally wanting to come here, her decision was to try and convince me to find you in Seattle, huh?”

“Basically. And failing that she probably would have given you my address and bought you a plane ticket. Trust me, you don’t want her as an enemy. As Dennis, she was like a bulldog. Now, if it’s even possible, she’s even more successful at taking hold of a case and not letting go.”

“So she’s staying with Denise?” asked Harry, just honest curiosity on his face.

“Yep. Someone tried to get her fired at one point but Gordon stuck by her. Even if he’s annoying as hell to have a straightforward conversation with, he’s loyal to his agents.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I think I speak on behalf of everyone that she certainly…stirred up talk but ultimately in a good way I think.”

“Well I know she’d appreciate that,” snorted Albert.

“Any other reason she was so gung-ho on getting us to talk again?” asked Harry with a raised eyebrow.

Well yes, she quite clearly has taken me on as a charity case and besides trying to fix my paradoxical psyche, has also planned to fix my love life which is namely you at the moment because she somehow figured out that I have a rather stupid crush on you because of your gorgeous face, the fact that you too are one of the rare creatures that can pull off plaid, and that I think you are ultimately a good man which is something I rarely tell anyone. So, you almost certainly very straight man, would you care to join me for a snog because ever since I realized you were more than a stupid sheriff that understood nothing about a murder case, I honestly quite fancied you, enjoyed being around you, and found that your presence made this horrible place somehow bearable. So, how about we really give this town something to talk about, hmm?

Albert thought all that. The one-sided confession went through his head rather quickly but all he said was, “If there is another reason, it’s a mystery to me.”

Harry simply chuckled in response and they finished cleaning up before moving to the living room. They talked over the case again and Harry said he’d bring Hawk and Andy with them to look over the property and surrounding woods this time. It was less because they thought anything would actually be found and more so that both were just desperate for any advancement in the case now. Neither wanted this to turn into another, months long, Laura Palmer case and Albert certainly didn’t want to deal with any mystic mumbo-jumbo.

With no headway made and their plans for tomorrow morning cemented, Albert took a shower and then returned to the guest room for the night. He thought on the dreams again and wondered if the night before had been a fluke. He still vaguely recalled waking up choking on the plane ride over and just that thought had his throat tightening.

He somewhat remembered Hawk saying something about the importance of dreams and though Albert wasn’t inclined to believe in the spiritual, scientifically he could understand them. Of course, even going by logic, science still explained that dreams could be linked to subconscious thoughts or beliefs and all Albert could recently get out of his was that he was likely damaged in the head. Of course, maybe talking with Harry had fixed that as well, or would at least ease the dreams that had come in the past, either in frequency or vibrancy.

That was Albert’s last thought as he finally eased into sleep, hoping for the same darkness he had experienced last night while wondering if Twin Peaks and Cooper would infiltrate his head once more. It turned out that talking with Harry had done something.

He dreamed; it just wasn’t about Cooper.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the story starts to come to an end. Again, a big thank you for those reading this and I'll have the sixth chapter up on Wednesday and the last one up on Friday.
> 
> Also for those interested I made a playlist for this story: https://8tracks.com/changethecircumstances/don-t-disappear
> 
> Thanks again and I hope you enjoy!

Albert couldn’t exactly say he was well rested come morning but he couldn’t say the dream had been unwelcomed either. Just very, very inappropriate.

Quickly pushing the thoughts from his mind, he noted that he’d woken up at a much more normal time for himself. Once ready for the day, he walked past Harry’s room and could hear the man presumably just getting up. Heading to the kitchen, Albert contemplated making breakfast this time as a thank you for all that Harry had done. Sure, he hadn’t given Albert permission but he was pretty sure the man would end up being more surprised than annoyed.

He was right of course and reveled in Harry’s shocked look as he walked in.

“You’re making breakfast?”

“I do have other skills besides capturing murderers and thieves.”

“I’m sure you have a whole range of skills I don’t even know of,” responded Harry. “I’m just surprised you’re doing this.”

“Well if you’re going to make such a big deal about it, maybe next time I think of something nice to do I’ll say fuck it and throw the idea out the window,” Albert said. No malice lay in his voice though and if anything he was trying not to break into a smile made all the harder by Harry’s own grin.

After breakfast and a good cup of coffee they headed to the station. They caught up with Detective Fritz which took practically no time at all before calling the Wexlers ahead of their arrival. Andy and Hawk came with them in a separate car and upon arriving Albert managed to keep his comments down to just one about Andy sniffing around the woods, looking for clues.

Hawk went with him as Mr. Wexler followed Albert out to the shed and Mrs. Wexler went inside with Harry. Albert also realized the term ‘shed’ was an extreme understatement. You couldn’t really see the building from the front, especially since there were trees scattered about their yard, but it was basically a small garage. From the upturned grass leading to the area, Albert imagined they sometimes put their car in there, maybe if it was storming or something.

“When was the last time you were in here?” asked Albert as Mr. Wexler opened up a side door, went in, and turned on a light.

“The morning after Jackson disappeared. I thought he might be in here but…well he obviously wasn’t.”

Albert simply nodded and followed the man in only to freeze in his step. They couldn’t possibly park their car in here because there already was one.

A dark gray GMC truck.

Albert felt his entire body freeze up as he looked at the back of Mr. Wexler’s head. Why would he do it? It didn’t make since. There had been no police record in the man’s past, he had seemed perfectly reasonable if a bit distant. Why the hell would he kill his nephew? Why would he skin that pattern? What could it possibly mean to him?

“We looked into yours and your wife’s records, strictly routine,” Albert slowly murmured, making sure to keep a fair distance away from the man. “This truck didn’t show up.”

“Oh, we don’t have any insurance on it anymore. Haven’t driven it since moving here. That’s probably why.”

Albert moved closer to the car and as the man looked away, he quickly wiped a finger across the car. If it had really been sitting here for six whole years, dust would have gathered, the grass outside would have grown back smooth and undisturbed. Neither had occurred. If anything it looked recently used.

Mr. Wexler didn’t seem bothered that an FBI agent could possibly be standing next to the truck that had been used to dump his nephew in Seattle. It only made Albert all the more suspicious as he edged around the glorified shed. Mr. Wexler seemed content to just stand and wait for him, clearly not a care in the world. Maybe Mr. Wexler didn’t know the importance of the truck. Maybe he didn’t do it and someone else had used his shed. But if Albert was right, this man had to either be out of his mind or a god damn sociopath to be so at ease.

On one wall was a section of tools and a small area to work. Albert looked over each tool carefully and then began opening draw. At first he only found wrenches and other instruments that couldn’t make a cut. Then he opened up another draw and he could again feel his entire skin crawl. A fishing knife lay in it, the blood on the metal now rusty and a dark brown. Albert’s eyes moved back to Mr. Wexler who was still a ways off.

Did he have a split personality? Had he honestly forgotten that he’d put the knife here? Did he not care if he was caught? Then Albert’s eyes started to notice the drops on the ground. They were small and hard to see in the poor lighting but definitely blood once Albert focused in on them. It wasn’t a clear trail like someone had walked into the shed with a bloody knife. No, the pattern suggested this was where the kid had been placed, cut, and skinned. That coupled with a bloody knife and a truck matching the description of one of the vehicles that had been spotted outside the dumping ground made Albert finally draw his gun and point it at Mr. Wexler.

He still didn’t have a motive but that could be figured out later. They had evidence and Albert was sure once they dusted for prints it would help to prove their case even more so. Perhaps his nephew had gained quite an inheritance that he had wanted, maybe he had killed his own son and had some unexplainable hatred for kids. Maybe he just was a sociopath, plain and simple. Albert didn’t know but he certainly wasn’t risking letting this man go.

“What are you—”

“Richard Wexler, I am arresting you on suspicion of involvement in your nephew’s death. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand?”

“But why me? I didn’t kill my nephew! Why the hell are you pointing—”

“Do you understand!?”

“Yes, yes I understand!”

“Get out of the shed and start walking towards the deputy’s car. Keep your hands visible at all times,” Albert stated. He followed behind him and when he spotted Hawk in the distance, quickly yelled for him to come over.

“Handcuff him and take him to the station for me. I’ll grab Sheriff Truman,” said Albert.

“What’s going on?”

“I found blood in there along with a car matching one of our descriptions.”

Mr. Wexler’s eyes widened. “What blood? I didn’t see—”

“I’ll meet you back at the station. Wait to question him until I get there,” demanded Albert as he holstered his gun and finally left for the house once Hawk had his hands on the man. Walking in the front door, he yelled for Harry but the man didn’t respond. Still, some type of noise seemed to be coming from the living room so he made his way in there first…

…and what he saw had him falling to his knees.

“Oh fuck!” Had he been wrong? What the hell was going on? All he understood was that Harry had knife wounds in his back and front and was bleeding out on the floor and any thought of Mr. Wexler’s possible guilt fell from his mind.

Albert pressed his hand against the wound as he wildly looked around but the wife was nowhere to be found. The chances of Hawk or Andy hearing him yell for help were small so he took out his gun and fired it at a window instead, hoping that the bang and sound of glass shattering would draw the pair, that they hadn’t already left. As he did, he finally saw that Harry was trying to drag a photo closer.

“Look…look…”

As blood seeped through his fingers, Albert leaned forward and saw what Harry’s bloody finger was pointing towards. At first he thought the picture was of Jackson but he realized the picture was to old and the person in it to young. It was likely their son, Stefan Wexler instead.

The boy was at a pool, arms up in some sort of cheer. Right there, right underneath his arm, along the ribs, Albert saw it. The mark hadn’t been from a gang, hadn’t been some killer’s sick calling card. It was a birthmark.

“Sheriff Truman!”

Albert looked back to see Andy (and thankfully Hawk too) had just arrived.

“Keep pressure on this and get him to a hospital now!” Albert yelled, only moving back when the two were close enough to put pressure on the wound for him. With both of them there for Harry, Albert took up his gun again and finally noticed a trail of blood leading out of the living room. He followed it up the stairs and into Jackson’s bedroom, only now he felt incredibly certain that it wasn’t truly Jackson’s.

Mrs. Wexler was in there sitting on the side of the child’s bed, hands covered in blood as she sobbed into them.

“Get up,” whispered Albert as his mind raced ahead of him, trying to slowly piece everything together.

“I didn’t mean to! I just wanted him back! I just wanted him back!”

“Get up now,” Albert repeated, no hint of leniency in his voice. If Harry died because of this…if he bled out in agony and pain…Albert wasn’t sure what he would do but he knew he wouldn’t be worthy of his badge once it was done.

The woman stood on shaking legs, tears still streaming down her face.

“Move.”

They went slowly and once they were out on the front porch, Albert saw that the others had already left. Harry just had to hold on. He had to.

Mrs. Wexler didn’t struggle as Albert at first went to put her in the backseat but then realized the keys had to have still been on Harry’s person. He then commanded Mrs. Wexler to get in her own car and to drive them down to the station as Albert kept his gun and eye trained on her the entire time.

She didn’t try anything, just kept crying as they went through the town and arrived at the Sheriff Department.

Lucy let out a scream when Albert came in but he ignored her, pushing Mrs. Wexler into an interrogation room. The others weren’t here which was good. That meant they had gone straight to the hospital instead of doing something stupid like trying to drop Mr. Wexler off at the station.

Albert could have waited. He should have probably cleaned up, had Mrs. Wexler clean up, but he needed to know. He had to understand why the hell she’d attacked Harry. Why she’d apparently killed her own nephew.

He spoke the Miranda rights to her and then spoke the introduction to the tape, a bloody fingerprint being left on the recording button.

“Mrs. Wexler, did you kill your nephew?” asked Albert. His speech was carefully composed, unemotional. If he allowed anything else to appear in his voice…he wasn’t sure what he would do. He’d lost Cooper. He couldn’t lose Harry. Not like this.

“I just wanted him back! I’m so sorry, I just wanted him back!”

He could imagine what that meant but he still asked, “Can you clarify?”

“I just wanted my son back.”

“Your son died seven years ago in a swimming related incident, before you moved here. Why would you think you could bring him back?”

“He just…Jackson just looked so much like him. I thought maybe…just maybe I could get my son back.”

The pieces finally started to become clear, started to fall into place. “His room, were all those items Stefan’s things or at least replicas?”

She nodded.

“I need you to speak out loud for the tape.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“And the clothes? Were those Stefan’s as well?”

“Yes.”

“Your husband said you’d call Jackson that name often. What else did you do to him Mrs. Wexler?”

Albert remained perfectly still, the blood turning brown and hard in the creases of his hands and underneath his fingernails. He listened to the woman speak in low, broken tones, sobs occasionally escaping her lips. He listened to how this boy had been emotionally tortured, physically abused as Mrs. Wexler tried to force him into the role of Stefan. Everything from what he played with, what he wore, what he read, and what he ate, it all had to be what Stefan liked to do and god forbid he wanted to do something the dead son didn’t like.

“We found a mark on Jackson’s ribs. Do you know what it was?” asked Albert quietly. They hadn’t shown them pictures, hadn’t revealed to them what had been done to their nephew. Depending on Mrs. Wexler’s answer would at least prove whether or not she’d been there.

“I just wanted Stefan back.”

“What did you do Mrs. Wexler? What did you do to him?”

“He needed the birthmark. Maybe if I gave him the birthmark and the scars he would be Stefan.”

“Why did you stab Sheriff Truman?”

“He saw. I knew he saw! He looked at the photo and he knew and I had to protect him!”

“Protect who?”

“Stefan! Or…no not…my husband. I had to protect Richard. Richard couldn’t know.”

“Did your husband have anything to do with this?”

“No! No he wouldn’t have understood. He never understood. He moved on but I couldn’t move on. Not after Stefan! Not after what happened to him. I needed him back. You must understand I needed him back!”

Albert looked at her and he couldn’t help it. His eyes probed and searched for the emptiness of Bob, for the long gray hair and the maniacal grin and the black, soulless eyes. But he wasn’t there, not this time. All he saw was a woman and her broken psyche, a wife desperate to protect her husband, a mother needing her son back, and an aunt who couldn’t see her own nephew as the individual that he had been.

“Is that why you dumped the body where you did. To try and protect your husband?”

“I did what I had to. Yes, in Seattle I did what I had to do to protect Richard.”

“Mrs. Wexler…your husband will be questioned as well.”

“Doesn’t matter. It doesn’t. He wasn’t a part of it. He didn’t understand. I just wanted my son back. I just wanted him back.”

Albert wasn’t surprised even if he was having trouble understanding this now. Logically he could pick it apart. He could see how this woman’s mind had broken, had never truly healed from the lost of her son. But at the same time he just couldn’t. She could have started anew, been the parent the boy had lost and Jackson could have become more than a distant nephew. Yet she destroyed that with this belief that only Stefan would do, only Stefan could be a son.

And now she’d lost it all.

Oh, with the right lawyer she’d probably get insanity, she clearly wasn’t all there, but she’d lost her sister and brother-in-law, she’d lost her son and her nephew, and now her husband to because after everything she had said, all the horrid detail and explanations, Albert was fairly certain that the husband hadn’t known any of this was going on at all but she would certainly be jailed for it.

He stared at her crying, weeping form with blood still staining her hands when someone touched his shoulder and Albert couldn’t help but jump.

Hawk looked down at him. It was impossible to read his face as he said, “He’s in the Doc’s hands right now. Clean yourself up. I’ll take care of this.”

Albert just nodded. He walked out of the room and it took him a few failed attempts to find a door to the restroom. Once there, he quickly locked it and went to the sink, staring down at his bloody hands.

Harry’s blood.

Fucking people. Making him care, making him worry and shit. And Harry just there on the ground, bleeding out and Albert pressing down as hard as he could just hoping and praying to something-anything at that point-to work. Just knowing that Cooper was gone and if he died then Albert would probably never know and now this thing, this friendship with Harry, could be stripped away. The universe wasn’t evil just like a bad storm couldn’t be evil. But it had to have a since of incredibly morbid humor if it took Harry away just as soon as Albert started talking to him again.

He was trembling he realized. Trembling so fucking hard that it took three tries to get the water going.

Albert watched the brown color wash down the sink in a swirl before looking up and properly jumping at his own reflection. He couldn’t remember when but at some point he had to have wiped at his face and now the red smear remained. He looked down at his cloths, the white shirt now red, knees of the black pants and his cuffs going dark and stiff with blood.

He washed the blood off his face and smoothed his hair back before taking one, shaky breath. When he walked out Hawk was waiting for him.

“You don’t have a car right?”

“No.”

“I’ll take you to the hospital then.”

Albert just nodded in thanks, especially since Hawk wasn’t going to try and force him to change. As much as he wanted Harry’s blood completely off him, he also desperately needed to see him first. He wanted to ask how he was doing but was also afraid of the answer. Better to just go and see.

Walking back out the front, Lucy had another fright though at least this time it wasn’t a full scream (Albert was fairly sure the blood on his face hadn’t helped the last time) as Hawk said, “Don’t worry Lucy, it’s not his blood.”

“Oh that’s good. But is anyone hurt?”

“I’ll tell you later Lucy,” Hawk responded.

Driving over, Albert noted how the sun had already begun to fall. The shadows of the trees had lengthened and night was soon approaching. It seemed wrong. The last thing he could clearly remember was it being morning and heading towards the Wexler’s place. Everything after that felt like a half remembered dream.

Hawk dropped him off at the front and Albert hurried, ignoring the stares and cries of shock. He pulled out his badge and said, “Is Harry Truman out of surgery yet?”

“Um-uh-uh-uh—”

“Is he?” repeated Albert, just barely stopping himself from yelling the desperate cry out.

“Well-well yes he is. He’s in room two thirteen—”

Albert left before she finished the sentence, hurrying through the hospital. It was hard to tell if it was because he wasn’t thinking straight or because the hospital was as off as the town but he got lost twice before finally finding the room. There was a man standing outside the room that Albert somewhat recognized as Dr. Hayward. He wondered if they’d called him after Albert had demanded where Harry was or if he’d just been watching over him.

“Special Agent Rosenfield,” said the man as recognition flashed across his eyes. “Are you—”

“How is he?”

“He’s good. The surgery was pretty simple all things considered. It was the blood loss that was probably the most serious though thankfully he was brought here before that became a real problem. Now are you alright? Do you need to see someone?”

“I’m fine,” lied Albert. _Just let me see him. Please_.

“Well, he’s been going in and out for a bit. We’ve got him on quite a lot of painkillers so he probably won’t be completely coherent but it’s still fine to go in and see him. Let me just get Andy first. He’s been sitting with him since he came out. Finally stopped crying too once he saw he was still breathing.”

“Of course he did,” muttered Albert.

Dr. Hayward was gone for a moment before Andy was suddenly coming out and capturing him in a pretty surprising hug.

“I’m so happy you’re alright Special Agent! I was really worried about you and so was Sheriff Truman!”

“Harry…”

“He’s been asking after you. I’m sure seeing you will make him feel better right away.”

Albert bit back the fact that seeing a friendly face didn’t fix knife wounds to the stomach and back as Andy followed Dr. Hayward away. Now alone in the hallway, Albert took one more unsteady breath before moving into the room.

Harry was pale and still looked like shit but anything was better than watching him bleed out. Sitting near him, Harry slowly opened his eyes and his head more fell than moved to the side to look at him.

“They must have you on some good shit. You look like you’re on another plane,” muttered Albert.

Harry’s voice came out slow and tilted. “You disappeared.”

“I disappeared? You almost died on me asshole,” growled Albert. “How’d she even get you? She’s like fifty.”

“Looking at picture. Didn’t look behind,” mumbled Harry.

Albert rolled his eyes though he couldn’t exactly blame him. It didn’t matter how long you’d been in law enforcement. Suddenly getting stabbed in the back wouldn’t exactly help your reaction time and of course if the person was fast enough and managed to get in a few more hits while the person was in shock—

No, best not to think on that. Harry was alive. He was right here beside him.

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’s your blood idiot,” Albert replied. He watched as Harry rather unsuccessfully tried to reach for him, his motor functions certainly not at their best. After a few tries, Albert finally grabbed onto his hand and muttered, “I’m fine. You should be more worried about yourself.”

Harry just weakly squeezed back but even so the motion made Albert breathe a little easier.

“The case is done by the way. It’s over. It isn’t another Laura Palmer,” Albert murmured. He couldn’t tell how much Harry clearly understood but the information seemed to ease him. “And you better get back on your fucking feet soon. This crazy ass town needs a good sheriff.”

Harry mumbled something unintelligible in response.

“Uh huh, completely agree,” Albert sarcastically responded as he rolled his eyes and finally pulled his hand back. “Still, work to be done and I should probably go for now. Just because the case is done doesn’t mean the paperwork is.”

Albert stood up and right away Harry’s hand shot out, or perhaps sluggishly fell over the side of the bed was more accurate but he certainly tried. “Don’t disappear.”

“I’m not going to disappear you idiot.”

“Please Albert. Please don’t.”

“I already said I’m not,” murmured Albert. However, it was clear his words weren’t quite getting through and there was real, momentary panic on Harry’s face. Rubbing at his eyes, Albert slowly sat back down. He was to exhausted to get any work done tonight anyways and if he was being perfectly honest, he didn’t want to leave Harry’s side just yet either. “I’m not going to disappear. I’m right here.”

Harry’s eyes slipped shut as a satisfied smile moved across his face. “Stay…”

“Yeah I’m staying,” Albert sighed as he looked at him. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Kicking off his shoes and throwing away his ruined tie, Albert relaxed as best he could in the chair and watched Harry slowly fall asleep before his own eyes slipped shut and he fell into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you to anyone who has decided to read this! This is technically the last chapter in the story and the next one will be a nice long epilogue filling in the gaps between season 2 and 3. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy :)

Albert woke to a rather pained moan. He blinked his eyes open to see Harry shifting around in the hospital bed. It looked like he’d been awake for a while.

“I’m guessing those painkillers have worn off, huh?”

“Yes they fucking have.”

Albert snorted, amused to hear such a level of profanity falling from Harry’s mouth. He looked better than he had yesterday though still a bit to pale for Albert’s liking.

“Do you remember much?” asked Albert.

“A little,” mumbled Harry. He shifted again only to let out another groan. “Being stabbed in the back and front is god awful cause it doesn’t matter where you lie, it hurts and if I try to lie on my side, I feel like my insides are going to fall out.”

“Well let’s try to avoid that huh? I can get a nurse—”

“No, leave that for later. I want to be clearheaded for at least a bit.”

“You want to understand,” Albert replied. He could identify with that feeling. He’d gone through the same thought process as well.

“I need to,” murmured Harry. “I’d thought it would be a good idea to give the rest of the house a better look through. At first I thought it was odd that they had so many pictures of their nephew, especially over such a short period of time. They looked to happy. To old. Then I…at some point I figured it was their son, not Jackson and then I saw the birthmark and…well I know she stabbed me. Just anything after that is a bit hazy.” He focused back on Albert, looking at his bloody clothes. “I’m guessing you were there.”

“Yeah. She’s in custody now. Her husband was too but I’m sure Hawk probably released him. I don’t think he had anything to do with it.”

“But why do it at all? He was her nephew.”

“She was to broken to see that,” muttered Albert.

Harry just let out a soft hum in response, or maybe it was another groan.

“I need to write this up though and smooth things out with Detective Fritz. It’s not completely done yet.”

“You’ll probably want to get your stuff. My keys should be in a drawer over there with the rest of my stuff.”

As Albert went and searched for them, Harry added, “So you are leaving? Now?”

“That’s the plan. I do have a job I need to get back to.”

“Yeah, yeah of course.”

“I’ll come back before it’s all said and done though. Just to make sure you’re doing better.”

Harry looked surprised. “Alright, sounds good,” he said though he only sounded half convinced. For a moment, they both awkwardly waited, Albert with the keys finally in his hand and Harry lying out in the bed. “Listen just…just put the keys under the mat afterwards. Or give them to Hawk. Either or work.” It sounded like he’d meant to say something else but had quickly changed midway.

Albert waited a bit to see if he would say more but when his mouth stayed shut, Albert just replied, “Yeah, alright.”

“Thanks with the case too.”

“This was more luck than proper detective work.”

“Still…you found me. Thanks for that.”

“No need to thank me. I would’ve done it for anyone.” It wasn’t a lie. The whole event just wouldn’t have mattered as much to Albert if it had been anyone else.

“Well thanks anyways. I’ll see you around Albert,” Harry said.

“Yeah, I’ll see you around.”

And with that, Albert was gone.

He ended up getting Hawk to take him to Harry’s where he took a quick shower and changed into some clean clothes before gathering everything up. Afterwards they went to the Sheriff Department where Albert filled in some paperwork and made sure all the evidence had been gathered correctly before Hawk was kind enough to drive him to Seattle.

There he spoke with Detective Fritz and smoothed out any jurisdiction issues, rented a car, spoke to some journalist on behalf of the FBI (and managed not to cuss at them either), and got a hotel room. The rest of that day and the next morning was again just more required paperwork along with him typing up his report of the events before looking into Mrs. Wexler. It seemed her husband had hired a lawyer as Mrs. Wexler was content with just completely going down for the murder of her nephew. If an insanity plea didn’t fly, she’d be found guilty but either way the case would be closed and she’d be locked up which was the important part.

Once the actual work aspect was done, Albert had to come to one last decision before leaving. He sat in the business area of the hotel, eyes going from the information on the computer to the phone and back again.

After going through that motion two more times, he picked up the phone instead and dialed the familiar number. He held the phone away from his ear, fully expecting the shouting man. Instead he got Denise, because of course her weird psychic abilities would apply to this as well.

“This is Special Agent Denise Bryson. How may I help you?”

“I’m guessing Gordon is out?” questioned Albert as he pulled the phone closer to his ear.

“For the rest of the day. He did manage to take a peek at the report you emailed him though. If you called, he wanted me to pass along the good work over it and that he hopes Sheriff Truman recovers just fine.” There Denise paused for a few beats, her tone then changing as she asked, “So how are you?”

“Well, if only to knock your ego down a few pegs, you weren’t completely right,” said Albert.

“But?”

“But I honestly feel better.”

“I think I still hear another ‘but’ though,” Denise replied.

“You’re as astute as ever.”

“Glad to hear it. But what else is there?”

“I don’t think I’m fully done. Or, if I do leave now, then the chance will be over.”

“Gordon is expecting you back tonight,” commented Denise though it was clear she wasn’t on Gordon’s side of this.

“I know.”

“Well if you want my advice—”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“You didn’t, but we both know you appreciate it anyways. And my advice now is it’s better to have tried and lost than to have not tried and regret not knowing for the rest of your days.”

“It won’t go well,” murmured Albert. There were over twenty ways it could go so very very wrong and only two ways it could go right. The probability wasn’t backing him up. “I just know it.”

“But you won’t know until you actually try, will you?”

No, he wouldn’t. And sure, his cynical nature was telling him that this wouldn’t go how he’d like it to go and could very likely ruin everything too but logically it did make since not to miss out on this opportunity. No one could know what the future held and no matter how certain Albert was of the outcome, he knew he would regret not having certainty of it.

He leaned forward and clicked ‘cancel’ on his flight home.

“Have Gordon’s secretary reschedule me for tomorrow at noon or later,” said Albert.

“You sure you don’t want two days off?”

“Let’s not test our luck, shall we,” Albert responded.

Denise chuckled on the other end. “Alright, but either way we’re going out to dinner when you get back. If it’s celebratory I’ll take you to the best restaurant in town and if it’s not I’ll buy you ice cream and you can cry into my shoulder.”

“I’m not going to cry into your shoulder,” muttered Albert with a roll of his eyes. He almost hung up the phone but paused for a few seconds, grudgingly admitting, “Thank you though. Really.”

“I try my best. But just call me if you need to postpone your flight again—”

“Good bye Denise,” Albert replied, hanging up and closing out of everything on the computer. He then called the hospital just to double check and thanked the receptionist once she confirmed that Harry had been discharged and had returned home.

Once his bag was in the rental and he’d checked out, Albert headed back towards Twin Peaks for possibly the last time. He had a little over an hour to really think about it, over an hour to decide to turn around and drive back. However, if there was any certainty in this, it was that once his mind was made up it was done. Albert continued on, never looking back as he arrived in the small town once more and managed to find his way back to Harry’s house.

He didn’t need to compose himself now as he’d basically already come to terms with the worst possible outcome the moment he’d decided to come back. Because of that, Albert didn’t hesitate as he turned off the car, got out, and walked up to the front door. He knocked loud enough so that short of being asleep, Harry would hear him (and hopefully he wasn’t asleep because that would have been a rather anticlimactic outcome).

But no, after what felt like an incredibly long minute, the door was finally pulled open and Harry was standing there, his lips parting in surprise and his chest very bare.

Albert momentarily couldn’t help but stare, partly because of the stitches in his lower abdomen but also just because it was a really nice chest. Clearing his throat and focusing back on Harry’s face, he said, “I told you I’d come back.”

Harry, blinked, still clearly shocked.

Albert just gave him one of his trade mark smirks and added, “You didn’t think I meant it.”

“No I—”

“It’s fine, I didn’t believe myself for a bit either but I’m happy to know you haven’t keeled over yet.”

Harry snorted at that before a wince quickly followed. “Come on in. Do you need anything to drink?”

“You were stabbed three times. I don’t think not being hospitable for once will kill you,” responded Albert as he followed Harry in, seeing the one line of stitching in his back once he turned around. They went into the living room, sat down, and Albert added, “How are you though, really?”

“Well I’ve had Hawk get me copies of everything. I’ve read your report too and—”

“Harry,” Albert interrupted, “I’m not talking about the case.” He wasn’t talking about Harry’s physical state either and he was pretty sure the man caught on to that.

“Uh, right,” sighed Harry. He rubbed at his face and murmured, “I’m happy it’s over. But I’m also appalled.”

“Appalling things happen every day in every town and in every city,” replied Albert. “It’s a fact of life. But I’d be more worried if you didn’t find it atrocious.”

“Yeah. So what unfinished business do you have here?”

“Well, depending on how you look at it, none,” Albert responded.

Harry chuckled at that, movement definitely still painful though as he said, “You wouldn’t just come back for nothing.”

“No, but I didn’t come back for the case,” Albert expounded. Now was the moment of truth. He took a deep breath and prepared for any number of insults that could be thrown his way, any level of disgust. He didn’t believe such actions were in keeping with Harry’s character but he’d learned even the most kindly people could hide things. “I came back for you.”

A blush slowly blossomed on Harry’s cheeks. It seemed that he might understand the meaning but he still said, “To see how I was healing.”

Albert nodded as he leaned back and crossed his arm. “Yes, but I’ve decided to be more honest than that and as Denise wisely told me, better to try and know the truth no matter what it might be. And if I’m being quite honest Sheriff, I missed you, even in the short time that we knew each other. I rarely speak of anyone highly not because I think myself better than them but because people are typically to irrational and self-serving. It’s just how I see the world. But you, you I think of as a good man and not only is that rare but if possible, I’d really like to kiss you.”

Harry continued to stare but at least he hadn’t frozen up like Albert had expected. His mind wasn’t stuck on one point and unable to move on. Yes, he was very still, but it was clear he was thinking and thinking hard on what Albert had said.

“If it helps, I’ve been told my timing needs work about a dozen times over.”

Harry did laugh at that, covering his eyes before peaking out between his fingers. His hand fell back to lap as he looked over and Albert couldn’t be sure if he was imagining it but the look certainly made his stomach flip.

Taking a deep breath, Harry said, “I never…well…”

 “I would be more surprised if you had any experience at all.”

“I’ve had plenty of experience thank you!”

“How about you prove it then?” snorted Albert. It had come out more as a joke than a real question, more amused by Harry’s response than anything and just thankful the friendship hadn’t cracked with his admittance. He didn’t actually expect Harry to follow through with it.

Harry’s lips pressed against his, soft but certain and now it was Albert’s turn to be shocked. His eyes fluttered shut almost involuntarily as his lips parted open to the slight bit of pressure Harry was applying. He was fairly certain he was going to wake up. Where he wasn’t sure, maybe hung-over in an alleyway because that seemed more plausible than this but he knew this couldn’t be real.

Could it?

And with that thought Harry finally pulled back but not suddenly and with a laugh like he’d been playing along with the joke. He did so slowly with an uncertain look.

“I wasn’t quite expecting that,” Albert softly murmured.

“Just cause I haven’t really…kissed a man doesn’t mean I’m not experienced.”

“I’d say so,” snorted Albert.

Harry’s lips quirked upwards at that as his cheeks turned all the redder.

“So…” Albert said.

“I um…well I’m not really sure what we’re doing…” admitted Harry. Albert had to silently agree with that and wasn’t quite sure how to continue the conversation when Harry kept talking anyways. “But I’d like to try that again.”

Now that was really a shock and Albert just gave a slight nod before he felt Harry’s lips touch his again. When they moved apart next time, Albert placed his hand on Harry’s cheek to keep him closer and asked, “Third time’s a charm?”

Harry chuckled at that and this time they moved in together. Albert was happy to stay just there, only breaking apart to take in a quick breath before he pushed back in. The only thing that pulled him back completely was hearing Harry suddenly gasp and then Albert was quickly moving away and looking him over to make sure the stitching was still fine.

“Sorry, sorry about that,” said Albert.

“Hey, it takes two people to kiss,” chuckled Harry as he held his stomach. “And that…wasn’t bad at all.”

“Well I think any kiss that doesn’t end with someone’s guts falling out is certainly at least adequate.”

The smile on Harry’s face only widened. “You’re horrible, you know.”

“I try.”

Harry just shook his head, clearly amused. However, Albert could tell that the wounds were still really hurting him.

“Did they give you pain medication?”

“Yeah, it’s in my bathroom cabinet. I’m actually supposed to take one in about five minutes so—”

“Don’t you dare,” Albert warned as he stood up. “I don’t care if it’s your own house. You’re the one that got stabbed so you sit there.”

He quickly got up, fetched a glass of water first and then went to Harry’s room where he found the pill bottle and took one. Returning, he handed it over to Harry who took it gratefully and quickly swallowed it.

As Albert sat back down and Harry carefully leaned back, he softly said, “So…when do you have to leave?”

“Tomorrow. Flight is at noon and I need to get the rental back before then. Besides, I already postponed my flight once and I doubt Gordon is going to appreciate me doing it again no matter how quickly this case was closed.”

“You postponed your flight?” asked Harry.

“Yeah I…well again, Denise certainly helped. I finally decided that I wanted to know the outcome no matter what that was and that you deserved complete honesty from me as well.”

“Well if we’re talking about honesty um…well I guess I should admit I fancied you almost the moment I saw you and uh…it really pissed me off.”

Albert couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips. “Pray tell.”

“Well obviously you’re an asshole,” said Harry which caused Albert to laugh again. “But from the beginning you always had this, certainty and no-nonsense flair about you that just…drew me to you I guess. I only accepted that I was drawn to it when I figured out that you had a big heart too.”

“But still an asshole.”

“Yes, you’re still an ass,” chuckled Harry. “I…I mean I’ve…fancied other men before. I just never…you know…really acted on it.”

“And what of this?”

“As far as first kisses go, it definitely wasn’t bad.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm, well you certainly aren’t bad yourself Sheriff.”

Harry smiled at that before the two fell into silence. It was clear that even though Harry was much more okay with this than Albert would have thought, there was still a great deal for the man to think about, for both to think about. Eventually he asked, “What do you want?”

“I’m…honestly not sure,” Albert said. “My history with relationships isn’t the smoothest.”

This time the smile was tinged with sadness though it was still there. “Well we at least have that in common.”

Albert absently nodded in agreement and continued, “Just know I didn’t come back to try for a one-night stand with an injured man.”

“Well then I’m glad to know you’re not a sadist,” joked Harry before silence fell again. “Are you staying…tonight,” he eventually asked.

“If that’s alright.”

“Yeah, yeah of course it is,” Harry agreed.

Albert nodded in thanks and from there the mention of whatever ‘it’ was fell from the conversation as they turned to more casual things. They didn’t stay awake long, Harry obviously tired and Albert needing to leave early the next day. When Albert did go off to bed, he went back to the guest room and neither really pushed anything else, whether they just weren’t prepared or because of Harry’s wounds, neither really knew. But Albert at least got an inkling of where things might head, that there was at least a possibility for something else when Harry pulled him into a kiss before going to bed.

That morning Albert got up early. He momentarily wondered whether or not to wake Harry but it turned out it didn’t matter seeing as the man was already awake and in the kitchen.

“Please don’t tell me you pushed yourself to wake up early to say goodbye.”

“Actually the pain medication wore off it that helps.”

“Not really,” muttered Albert with a roll of his eyes.

“Here,” Harry said as he passed the plate over. “I know you have to leave quickly but still better to not start the day on an empty stomach.”

“Thanks,” said Albert as he took the plate, momentarily concentrating on the food. When he looked up though, he paused and quickly swallowed. “What?” It was clear Harry had been staring at him for quite some time and he wanted to know why.

“Just…don’t disappear. Alright?”

It was basically what he’d said right after getting stitched only this time much more coherently. Albert knew he was thinking of Cooper, of his lost friend. He needed reassurance. “Promise.”

“You mean that?”

“With every fiber of my body.”

Harry’s mouth twitched up in a smile. “That’s the certainty I was talking about,” he joked, referencing last night’s conversation. He leaned forward, hesitated for a quick second before pressing his lips to Albert’s again.

When he moved away, he said, “I’ll call you tonight.”

“And I’ll pick up.”

“You sure about that?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t ignore it this time,” smirked Albert.

Harry seemed satisfied with that answer and the pair quickly finished breakfast in a comfortable silence. Albert still helped Harry with the dishes before he finally admitted that he needed to go. As Harry walked him to the door, Albert had to admit that this was a bit harder, leaving now and still not really knowing what this was. But he had to say he felt better than if he had left yesterday with no answers at all.

“Have a safe flight back.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about. Try to save the heroics for at least a little while Sheriff,” said Albert.

“I’ll certainly try,” Harry replied, the two hugging in place of saying goodbye.

The rest of the day was tedious and passed quickly for Albert. He drove back to Seattle, returned the rental, and then waited at the airport for far to long. He ended up falling asleep on the flight and once he got off, Denise was there waiting for him. What with the time change, it was already seven and a half.

“We’re going to Charleston,” Denise said as way of greeting.

“What? That place is far too expensive.”

“And I told you it would be my treat,” Denise responded with a grin. “If things went badly, then ice cream, and if things turned out more positively then…well Albert you’re practically glowing.”

“I’m not glowing,” he grumbled, his response seeming to make Denise smile all the more.

“Of course you’re not you old grouch,” chuckled Denise. “Come on, Charleston. My treat and no arguments. I made reservations for us yesterday just in case.”

Obviously the entire way there Albert argued. It was just more in his nature to make a fuss out of how ridiculous this was as he grudgingly answered Denise’s questions. Still, he was silently enjoying this, enjoying having someone he could put faith in and who he could confide in.

And of course, though ridiculously expensive, Albert did enjoy dinner and the talk wasn’t just Denise prying into his life. He did get to find out what had been going on at the bureau and with Gordon while he was gone along with what Gordon would need from him tomorrow so the whole thing wasn’t completely pointless.

Afterwards Denise dropped him off at his apartment, something which made Albert incredibly happy as he had always appreciated the quiet and solitude of having his own place. There was just nothing quite like the feeling of arriving back after a case away from home. That night he unpacked, took a shower, and got ready for bed. As he pulled back the covers, he saw his home phone ring and his eyes fell onto the numbers.

Those oh so familiar numbers, that area code he knew by heart.

Albert sat on the edge of his bed, slowly took the receiver, and put it to his ear. “So you did call, huh?” he softly said.

“You picked up,” Harry replied, sounding just as surprised.

“Yeah. Yeah I did. About time, don’t you think?”

“Most definitely?” laughed Harry, the atmosphere between them immediately easing.

“Your intestines didn’t fall out, did they?”

“No, still firmly in place. And since you’re talking to me now, I’m assuming your plane didn’t fall out of the sky.”

Albert chuckled and shook his head. “All went well,” he agreed.

And from there they talked into the night and when Albert finally did go to sleep, he did so content.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus the epilogue is published! It's basically a mix of short fluff/angsty pieces that lead from the end of this story up to about episode 7 in the Revival. Depending on the end of the show, I may add another chapter to this just as a nice fix-it fic or whatever but it does depend on what the show ends up doing.
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for those that read this even if you just stopped by for a bit and decided it wasn't for you. It means a lot and for those continuing to read this, I hope you enjoy this final chapter <3

Albert and Harry ended up speaking about once a week. Who called who changed depending on who had the more interesting story or was just more bored (usually Albert was the former one and Harry the latter). Sometimes the conversations would be quick and act just as a reminder of what the other’s voice sounded like. Other times they could talk for hours and Albert was only too happy to use that spare time for Harry.

Around two months passed before they saw each other again and this time it was Harry who flew to visit Albert.

When the man walked in, Albert couldn’t help the surreal feeling that washed over him. Harry being out of Twin Peaks was alien and of course the black sweater and blue button down shirt he wore instead of his sheriff cloths didn’t help. Still, his first instinct was to hug him and they did, holding each other close because this was different.

Calling had become part of the norm of their daily lives. They expected to always hear from each other at one point or another. But as far as going to see each other went? It took initiative and only proved what Albert had speculated, that this could go farther.

And when they pulled away from the hug and Albert pulled Harry into a kiss, it did feel right and Albert was all the happier for all that had happened.

This time Albert got the chance to make dinner and though he appreciated Harry’s home cooked style, he definitely made the food to impress.

As this time he had Harry help him, he had to admit that probably his favorite thing was that as amusing as it was to banter with the man, the silence was just as appreciated. With Harry, Albert didn’t really feel he had to force anything and that included conversation. Besides, with how much they talked over the phone, now they simply took the time to appreciate the other’s physical company instead.

The afternoon turned out to be a fine one and a well appreciated break from work as they ate, chatted, and made fun of the late shows on the television. It was only once it got even later that Albert noted the nervousness in Harry’s demeanor and decided to broach the one subject that they hadn’t really brought up but had known would be inevitable the moment Harry said he was flying in.

“So, I don’t have a guest room,” Albert said, eyebrow quirking as he glanced at Harry.

“I know.”

“You can say no,” chuckled Albert. “I’ll sleep on the couch since you’re the guest and—”

“No I…wouldn’t mind,” Harry finally spoke. “Sharing a…bed…that is.”

“Alright. Whatever you like,” Albert replied. And he meant that. Part of him wondered if Harry would change his mind but by the time eleven o’clock rolled around, Harry hadn’t spoken out about it.

The awkwardness was still very much there though and so Albert moved in, hoping to distract his mind just a little. Once at the bedroom door, he went slowly, kissing him and pushing him to the bed, giving him time to say no and to push him away but he never did.

If anything, Harry held on all the tighter and Albert went from simple kisses to ones that trailed down Harry’s neck and across his jaw. They didn’t go much farther than that, not that night, but Albert was content with waking up wrapped around Harry’s back. He kissed his neck and pulled him closer simply because he could.

* * *

 

“So, you’re finally, properly seeing someone,” Denise said with a smile as they sat over lunch.

“Why are you trying to be so coy?” snorted Albert. “It’s not like you don’t know who it is.”

“No it’s just…it’s nice Albert. I think it goes to show that anyone can find someone.”

“I’m not sure whether I should be pleased or insulted.”

“I actually don’t mind which you choose. You smile enough on your own now that I don’t feel the need to try and force one on you.”

“I don’t smile more.”

Denise let out a beautiful laugh. “You most certainly do.”

“Don’t you dare tell me I glow.”

“What if I said you’re sparkling?”

“Hell no,” said Albert with a sour look. He focused back on his food before peaking up at her again. “Do I really smile more?”

“Yes!”

“Well in that case I suppose I should work on a better cynical attitude. Don’t want to be giving the wrong impression to any new recruits.”

“Of course,” said Denise. “So how is it?”

“It’s…nice,” Albert admitted.

“I’m glad to hear that though it is interesting how someone as optimistic as him can stand to be around your cynical self.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say he’s as naïve as he once was.”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’ve ruined that sweet sheriff.”

“I didn’t ruin him! I’ve given him a more practical view of the world,” responded Albert. “And if it’s any conciliation, the influence goes both ways.”

“Albert, don’t tell me you’re going soft.”

“Hush! Remember what I told you? I need to make sure the rookies see me as the hardened dick that I am.”

Denise let out a loud, boisterous laugh that Albert found worming its way into his own throat before he let out a laugh of his own. Soon, they were both cackling loud enough that those walking by Albert’s office couldn’t help but peek in, wondering what could possibly be killing Albert Rosenfield because no way could the man be willingly laughing like that.

* * *

 

Several months had passed. Mostly their relationship (and the fact that Albert could call it a relationship was thrilling in its own right) had been over the phone but Albert didn’t mind the long distance. Hoping for anything more would have been ridiculous. Albert didn’t plan on leaving the FBI, at least not any time soon, and he knew Harry wouldn’t leave Twin Peaks.

Despite this though, it didn’t feel like a wall between them. They simply worked around it and the relationship functioned just as well.

At least until Harry of course made that ridiculous request that had Albert rolling his eyes and telling him absolutely not.

Albert wasn’t a huge romantic and he certainly hadn’t even thought about February or the implications of the month for most couples. Besides, he was busy with a case and hadn’t expected to see Harry anyways.

But, as usual, the sheriff had called and…

“I don’t even know if I’ll be in the office.”

“I might not even be home!”

“No I’m not giving you my hotel number in Louisiana. I could be in Texas by the end of the week!”

“Yes!”

“No that yes does not mean yes you can do that!”

“Don’t call Denise!”

“She is unavailable right now and will not help you.”

“Harry you utter bastard don’t!”

That conversation had ended with a groan and Albert’s face in his hands. However, it had also occurred at the end of January and by the time Albert left for the case and came back, he’d completely forgotten about it.

Up until he returned to his office on February sixteenth and found the pot on his desk.

“Denise!”

“Yes?” she asked. The speed at which she’d replied made Albert suspect she’d been waiting for his return.

“Don’t tell me you helped.”

“Of course I did! And don’t you dare yell at Harry for it. He thought really hard on this,” Denise responded with a pointed look.

Albert simply rubbed his face before turning back to the pot. He looked in close at the purple flower that had sprouted from the main succulent. With a sigh, he leaned over the desk, picked up his phone, and due to the time, called the Sheriff Department in Twin Peaks.

“Sheriff’s Department. This is Lucy speaking.”

“This is Agent Rosenfield. Is Harry in?”

“Oh, Agent Rosenfield! It has been a while! How are you?”

Albert rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to be to snappish. “Fine. Could you transfer me to Harry if he’s in?”

“Oh yes, of course! I’m transferring you now Agent Rosenfield.”

“Thank you Lucy,” muttered Albert.

It took a few seconds and then, “Albert, this is an odd time for you to be calling.”

“Oh don’t try and be all clueless with me. You know exactly what you’ve done.”

The silence stretched for just a second to long that Albert actually wondered if he said something wrong. Harry hesitantly asked, “Do you like it?”

Albert’s eyes turned back to the plant and his finger carefully traced the edge of the flower. “Yeah I…kind of do. You know, I would have thought of you as a traditionalist. Why not roses?”

“Well I talked to Denise—”

“Of course you did.”

Harry snorted on the other end and added, “Anyways, she made the good point of, if I was getting them for you, then I should think how you would take something so traditional. And I came to the conclusion that you’d fine roses boring, typical, and pointless because they’re just cut to die.”

Albert gave a proper laugh at that. “You know me so well.”

“I’d like to imagine so.”

Turning his gaze back to the plant, Albert had to agree with Harry’s reasoning. “So why a succulent?”

“Well, you don’t have to do something as cruel as basically kill it and since your schedule isn’t exactly consistent, I figured better to get a plant that you could realistically keep alive. Sound about right?”

“Yes, yes it does.”

“So you like it?” Harry asked again.

Albert was smiling so much that his face actually hurt. Someone better not walk in because it would absolutely ruin his image for sure. “The only thing that I hate is that I feel like an ass for not getting you anything now.”

“Don’t be. Being able to get something so perfectly right is reward enough.”

“Stop being such a sap,” said Albert. “I’ll call you once I’m finally out of the office.”

“Sounds good. Where do you think you’re going to put it?”

“Somewhere in the kitchen I think. Maybe on the windowsill.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Yeah…I’ll call tonight. Bye.”

“Happy belated Valentine’s Day Albert.”

Albert just laughed in response before hanging up the phone.

* * *

 

It was over a year since this thing with Harry had started. Through the constant phone calls and the occasional visits, there was one specific topic they hadn’t broached. Albert knew that when Harry brought it up, it wasn’t random though. Over two years had passed and though they both knew Albert would keep searching, they had both very much come to terms with the fact that they’d probably never see Cooper again.

Albert was messing with Harry’s curls as they lay in bed. It was the third time that Harry had visited his apartment. Albert wondered if Harry had fallen asleep but his sudden speech proved otherwise.

“Did you love him?” Harry asked softly. Neither needed clarification as to who he meant.

“I think everyone loved Coop, one way or another. It was just kind of impossible not to, once you’d met him.”

“Yeah,” Harry softly agreed. “But what about you?”

“I liked the idea of being with him. I don’t know if it would have actually worked, would have lasted,” sighed Albert. “I won’t ever know but if I’m honest, what I imagined being mutually in love with Dale Cooper was like, it wasn’t as powerful as the reality of it all.”

He could feel Harry freeze. The man was smart enough to understand. But no, Albert had basically said it now so why not go all the way? Why try and pass this off like it wasn’t one of the most important things in Albert’s life.

“I’ve fallen in love with you Harry Truman. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Of course you would say something like that,” murmured Harry. “You know, you already told me you loved me.”

“Technically,” Albert replied. Maybe at a different time he would have laughed at that, at least give a little chuckle. But in the late night with only the barest hint of street lights coming through the blinds, Albert couldn’t laugh at this. He pulled Harry’s chin, made it so the man was looking at him and then kissed him gently. “I love you and not just because of some practical philosophy. I love you.”

“I think I’ve fallen pretty hard for you too.”

“Good. I feel less like an idiot now.”

Harry lightly hit him in the chest before returning to the kiss and then rolled on top, pressing Albert to the mattress. “I love you,” Harry finally said. Not implied, not suggested. Just the words, pure and simple.

“Who would have thought?” murmured Albert. He stroked Harry’s cheek, traced a jaw line that he still hadn’t had the chance to do enough of. Then he said it again, because it was already out there, because there was no reason to hide it, because it was true and now he wanted to say it again and again. “I love you,” he said and pulled the man down and into a kiss.

* * *

 

Since Albert had a case at least relatively close to Washington State, he had already talked to Harry about coming to visit him. However, when the case wrapped up quicker than expected, Albert didn’t call him again, deciding to take advantage of the situation and make it a surprise.

Once there, Lucy was her easily shocked and bubbly self as usual. Albert wasn’t positive who knew, he certainly didn’t care and wouldn’t push Harry to tell his friends if he wasn’t ready, but he was fairly sure that somewhere in that thick skull Lucy had put two and two together.

Hell, he had finally decided to bring the man flowers as an apology for that Valentine’s Day after all.

“Is Harry in?”

“Oh yes! But he’s on the phone right now. Maybe I should—”

“No need Lucy. I’ve got it under control,” Albert said as he walked through the building and to Harry’s office. He opened the door slowly and thankfully Harry’s back was turned and his mind clearly focused on the call.

It was only once he said goodbye and hung up that Albert came just a little closer and kissed him on the back of the neck. Harry jumped and spun around but his face quickly broke into a smile.

“I didn’t think you’d get here today!”

“Nor I. I got you these. An apology for last time.”

Harry snorted and took the roses with a smirk. “What about these being purposeless and cut for only temporary beauty?”

Albert shrugged. “If there final resting place is being looked after by you, I think that’s worthy of getting them. Better that than thrown in a bin by someone else.”

Harry just blushed and placed the flowers to the side to pull Albert into a deep kiss. When they parted, Harry asked, “How long?”

“Three days,” Albert said with a smile.

Harry mimicked that and was about to go in for another kiss when the door started to open and Harry jolted back. Albert just respectively took a step back. Just because he could care less who knew didn’t mean Harry didn’t and he wasn’t going to put Harry on the spot if possible. However, even Albert’s eyebrows were shooting up in surprise as he vaguely recognized the man’s face and Harry’s shout of surprise.

“Franklin!”

“Hey Harry. How are you?”

Albert tried to see any similarities between the two. Whereas Harry was thin, Frank was more stocky and his hair was cut to short to be able to tell if it could curl. He also apparently had an excellent poker face as he looked on with a completely neutral expression.

Once Harry managed to get his nerves back he said, “I’m good. But I thought you wouldn’t be in town until next week.”

“Thought I might surprise you.”

Albert couldn’t help but snort at that. If everyone had just decided to surprise the man today, Harry might have a damn heart attack.

“Who’s this?” Frank continued with a look finally at Albert.

Albert was already prepared to spout off some nonsense but Harry seemed to take the initiative first. Albert wondered if he’d planned on talking to his brother and now just decided to get it over with.

“This is Albert, my partner,” said Harry. When it was clear Frank was already deducing that no way in hell was Albert a deputy or fellow sheriff, Harry added, “As in…partner partner. For life.”

Silence spread through the room and Albert was ready to be Harry’s support if needed but after those long, almost agonizing seconds, Frank said, “Huh.” He gave a short nod, took two steps to clap his brother on the back and added, “You should bring him over for dinner sometime.”

He started to leave and Harry just barely managed to break out of his shock before grabbing his brother’s arm. “But uh…you’re leaving?” Harry got out.

“I’ll be back again. After all I’m retired from the army now. But I do have a long drive before I see William and I promised Doris I’d be home in time for dinner tonight.”

“Oh…yeah of course,” Harry said with a quick shake of his head. “Tell them I said hi.”

“Will do. Nice meeting you Albert,” Frank said before turning and leaving as quickly as he’d come.

Albert pulled Harry into a hug from behind and kissed him on the cheek. “Is he always like that?”

“Unfortunately yes,” managed Harry before laughing good and hard.

Still, behind the laughter Albert could feel the utter relief at the situation. Harry had been afraid of the outcome and now that it was over he looked about ready to fall over.

“How about you cut today short?” suggested Albert with another kiss.

“I think that’s a perfect idea.”

* * *

 

Part of Albert couldn’t believe that he’d gotten to a point in his life where he was doing something as stereotypical as ‘meeting the parents’. When he did, Frank was there as well though his wife and son didn’t get the chance to make it. Albert imagined that, despite the good relationship between Harry and his parents, it likely wouldn’t have gone quite the same without Frank there.

It started normal enough and Albert certainly tried to be more polite than usual though Harry’s father seemed to appreciate his straight-to-the-point way of talking. Albert could tell who Frank had inherited his stoicism from. It was only once the dinner had started to slow down and almost everyone had finished eating that Harry finally cleared his throat and Albert squeezed his hand underneath the table as a comfort.

“Um, I didn’t just want you to meet Albert because he’s a very dear friend. I also wanted to introduce you because…well he’s my partner,” Harry said, looking away in anticipation of a number of things.

Silence fell around the table until his mother said, “But you dated Jessica.”

“That was ninth grade!” Harry cried as Albert tried to cover up his snort as a cough.

“But still,” his mother said in a very humble voice, “don’t you like girls at all?”

“Well yes,” Harry gritted out, “but I also like Albert.”

“You like me? I never would have guessed,” Albert said, earning him a very hard kick under the table.

“Well, what do you think Frank?” asked their mother.

“It’s Harry’s life. I don’t get a say,” Frank responded. “But I’ve always known.”

“Wait, what do you mean you’ve always known?” asked Harry.

“You didn’t come to my football games to watch me. I’m not an idiot Harry. You only had eyes for Greg Jones.”

Harry went possibly even redder as he covered his face.

“Well what about you Fred? What do you say?” asked his mom as she turned to his father.

“Like Franklin said. It’s his life. And I’m not going to insult my son’s intelligence by questioning his choice of partner.”

“Well, if you say so Fred. But does this mean I’m not going to get another grandchild?”

“Mom!” yelled Harry as Albert really couldn’t hide the laugh now.

Later when goodbyes were being given, Albert ended up being off to the side with Frank as Harry hugged and talked to his parents just a little longer.

As Albert stood there and waited for him to finish, Frank said, “As you know, I only retired from the army recently. I couldn’t be there for Harry when everything was going down and even afterwards, when we got to talk, I could tell there was a lot bothering him. When you entered his life again, even though he didn’t mention it right away, I could tell. You make him happy and you helped him in a time where I couldn’t. But as his big brother I’m also required to tell you that if you break his heart you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

It was by far the most Albert had ever heard him speak in one go. He just nodded and said, “Fair enough.”

Frank nodded as well as their eyes turned back to Harry.

* * *

 

It was at a different dinner when Albert finally had a chance to meet Doris and Frank’s son, William. He was seventeen and getting close to being a man though his outlook on life still very much matched someone his age. Nevertheless, Albert had to admit he liked the kid. Particularly when he got a moment alone with him and they got to properly talk. As way of a conversation starter, he asked what he planned to do with the rest of his life.

“I’m going to follow my dad and go into the army.”

“You know, it’s not like they show in the movies. It’s not as wonderful and idealistic as all that,” Albert said.

“Yeah, I know. It’s dangerous and people die all the time. I know dad even had a few good friends that didn’t make it,” said William. “I’ve seen how he’ll look at a photo, how sad he can get at times. But just think of the people he helped! The country he’s defending. I think it’s a worthy cause even with the possibilities of loss.”

“Well I’m certainly not going to convince you one way or another. As long as you understand the risks involved,” said Albert.

William seemed to appreciate that before an odd look came over the teen’s face and he asked, “Am I going to have to call you Uncle Albert now?”

“Not it you don’t want to kid,” snorted Albert.

“Ok. It’s just kind of…weird I guess? Not like that! It’s just…well maybe one day yeah? I just still don’t know much about you,” William said.

“No issue with me,” Albert replied, only amused by the teen’s uncertainty. “I don’t care either way.”

“Oh good,” William said. “But um…maybe you could tell me some stories? So, you know, I could get to know you better?”

“What do you want to know?”

They ended up talking for some time before the others joined them again and though usually Albert found anyone under twenty-one to be far to naïve, he actually did quite like William. Apparently the kid ended up deciding that he didn’t mind Albert being in the family as well because the next time they met, William had very definitely decided that Albert was worthy of the title uncle.

* * *

 

Of course, every time one or the other got a chance to visit, things didn’t always end up perfectly.

“I am sorry for this,” Albert said for possibly the fifteenth time.

Harry just laughed though. “Hey, it’s something you need and want to go to. I don’t mind it. Besides, it’s useful information that I should probably learn as well.”

“Not that Twin Peaks will ever catch up with the age of technology.”

“Hey, anything can happen right?”

“Not that,” Albert said leading to Harry lightly hitting him on the arm.

“So who’s the man leading the conference?”

“Dr. Marcus Clark. Supposedly there may come a day when DNA is as easy to look up as a driver’s license. At least that’s his theory.”

“Almost sounds like it belongs in a dystopia.”

“Well of course,” Albert responded. “Science is terrifying. Actual discoveries can’t be evil or good but since they are discovered by humans, the simple possibility of how science can change our world all together is detrimental.”

“And yet you love it.”

“Of course. Science can and has ripped the human race apart but it’s also the reason we can reach the stars. But don’t worry, I promise I’m going to make this up to you.”

“I don’t hate this Albert,” laughed Harry. “A conference on DNA is my perfect idea of a date.”

“Sure it is,” muttered Albert though he was smiling all the same.

Nevertheless, the afternoon conference ended up being interesting enough that afterwards Harry and Albert did nothing but talk about the advancements in DNA all the way to dinner.

“You know, if there ends up being another one of these things some time, I wouldn’t mind going,” Harry said.

“Really?”

“Well, I’ll be honest, a bit of the specifics went over my head but it’s interesting and important. But even ignoring that, you love it. I think that’s reason enough.”

Albert smiled at that, appreciating the fact that he could share something like this that mattered to him with Harry. “It’s a date then.”

* * *

 

After Albert’s mom had died and his father had stopped talking to him, he’d honestly never thought he’d have a family, not one besides the bureau anyways. Yet he found himself going to more than one dinner with Harry’s parents and he found himself conversing with Doris on more than one occasion. He also found Doris was the perfect person to team up with when it came to tag teaming the Truman brothers and their odd mannerisms.

Then there was the fact that Albert had a nephew now. Not legally obviously but he’d been a bit shocked by just how nice it had felt when William did decide to call him uncle.

The kid-and even when he turned eighteen and turned nineteen and twenty he was still a kid to Albert-was smart and bright and had definitely inherited his mother’s wit. Albert enjoyed watching him grow, talking to him and helping him with whatever he needed.

He liked talking to Frank, or more accurately talking at Frank. He enjoyed the man’s simple way of talking and how he took everything in without making a big deal.

Albert was simply enjoying himself and it was so odd and yet he was so thankful for it all. He was in love and he had a family that had let him into their own and he was so very very thankful for it.

* * *

 

It wasn’t that Albert’s odd dreams of Cooper and Twin Peaks had stopped altogether. They were still very much there and on some rare occasions he would wake up in a sweat. Any night besides Harry helped though.

Those nights he always knew would be full of peace.

But sometimes a dream would stick and Albert couldn’t help but wonder if the strangeness of Twin Peaks was truly over. He talked about it with Harry once before and the few coherent answers he was able to give were still very difficult to understand.

Albert had come to terms with the idea that he would never see Cooper again, he’d accepted that years ago. Yet when those dreams came in the dark of the night, he couldn’t help but believe that Cooper was still out there and that their paths could very well cross someday.

* * *

 

When Albert got the call, all he could think of was his smile. His smile and then just…why?

That very same day he walked straight into Gordon’s office and said, “I’m taking the week off.”

“What?!!”

“Read my lips,” hissed Albert, leaving without another word.

He managed to book a flight last minute to Washington. This time he didn’t go straight to Twin Peaks. Harry wasn’t there this time. He was at the coast, at Frank and Doris’ home.

 Albert didn’t stop. He just kept going, kept driving until he was stopping in their driveway and running up to the front door. Doris came to it first, practically out of breath and desperate. It was the look of a mother just hoping for anything besides reality but Albert couldn’t give her that. All he could do was be there and when she just about collapsed, Albert caught her and held her tight as the rest of the Truman family came into view.

What else could be said? What else could be done? He certainly didn’t know. Only that he wouldn’t let her go until she asked or pulled away.

Albert eventually got the details from Harry. When it had exactly happened, the friend that had found him. It was hard to believe it, that after years of knowing him he died this way. Not some disease or accident or even being killed in the army. It was suicide and now William was gone.

He stayed through the week and helped where he could. Frank never spoke. Not unless it was absolutely necessary but at one point he did grab Albert’s shoulder and just held on. Albert had remained there, willing to be the anchor.

People came all over for the funeral. Friends from school, friends in the army, former teachers and acquaintances. Albert would have sat in the back with them. William may have called him uncle but he still wasn’t the boy’s actual family. Yet Harry had gripped his hand tight and so Albert had followed him to the front where the family was. He didn’t let go. Not for the service, not when they went to the actual burial. It was as much for him as for Harry as his eyes burned and his stomach felt like dropping through the floor.

Albert stayed several days after the funeral. He wished he could have stayed longer but the world didn’t stop because of one dead boy. Yet when he went back, Harry went with him, murmuring, “I’m drowning there. I need a break from it. From all of it. Is that awful of me? I feel like I’m abandoning them.”

“You were there from beginning to end,” replied Albert, “and if Frank’s half as smart as you he’ll also take Doris out of that house and out of that city at least for a little while too. People die…and sometimes they die before their time.”

“I know but that doesn’t stop it from hurting so god damn much.”

Albert gave a slight nod, his eyes beginning to burn again. “Grief isn’t exactly rational,” he softly replied.

* * *

 

The next time Albert saw Harry, he went to Twin Peaks but not before visiting William’s grave. He wasn’t near enough to get such a chance often and this was his first time after he’d died. Albert said a second goodbye now that his grief wasn’t so present and soul crushing. He said goodbye to the kid and then headed to Twin Peaks.

He went to Harry’s home and it felt good to be there, to hold him again and be away from work and to just be purely happy if only for a little while. At least until something practically jumped on his back.

“Christ what is that!”

“Oh yeah, she has a problem with jumping on people’s backs but she’s getting better at that,” said Harry as he took the small, black feline and pulled her off him. “This is Oak.”

“You got a cat?” asked Albert with a raised eyebrow.

“I…wanted someone for when I came home every day. A companion.”

“Didn’t you have a dog growing up? And shouldn’t every sheriff have some bloodhound or something following him along?”

Harry snorted as he petted the kitten. “Yes but if you remember, you’re allergic to dogs and I didn’t want you coming here and sneezing your brains out.”

Albert smirked, an obvious innuendo on his lips as Harry hit him lightly. “Well, thank you for considering me. Why name her Oak though?”

“She was stuck in an oak tree and I got her down.”

“Your imagination knows no bounds,” retorted Albert with a laugh. He then went in slowly and kissed him, going from his lips to his jaw and whispering, “I missed you.”

Harry pulled him closer and kissed him deeply, his hand running down Albert’s side and—

“ _Meow_.”

Albert felt the cat jump onto his shoulder, her sandpaper tongue licking his cheek.

“Alright Oak, you better learn what timing is or I’m putting you back in the tree Harry found you in.”

Harry just laughed and kissed him again before plucking Oak off his shoulder and setting her on the ground. “Well I’d say her timing is about as good as yours then.”

Albert just rolled his eyes and smiled.

* * *

 

Time went by and Albert was in a way shocked that Frank and Doris managed to stay together. But despite how Doris never seemed to stop yelling and complaining about seemingly unimportant things and every day was a bad day for her, Albert slowly understood. Frank was the only thing keeping her going, keeping her alive, and he was willing to take all the bad to keep her breathing and keep her there even if she wasn’t exactly the woman he’d married.

It made Albert wonder if he would do the same for Harry and he realized he would. He didn’t know what would happen in this future scenario but Albert knew that it wouldn’t matter. As long as he could still see Harry, see his friend and know it was him, Albert would save what was left even if it meant hurting himself.

Because he truly did love him and despite the heartache and the loss that had accompanied the birth of this relationship, Albert wouldn’t do anything to change it.

* * *

 

Albert had never really thought of the idea. He’d honestly never thought it was possible, either because laws wouldn’t start to change or because he’d never find someone. Nevertheless, he never really imagined the moment would be like this.

He picked up the phone and—

“What?” he asked, his mind going blank.

“We should get married.”

It took far too long for Albert to come up with a response and of course when he did, he couldn’t help but go the logical route. “It wouldn’t be recognized everywhere. Might be difficult since I’m living in a different state.”

“You don’t want to.”

“I didn’t say that. I’m just…surprised. I didn’t think it was something you cared about.”

“If you don’t want—”

“No. I’ll admit that it’s not something I ever thought of. But for you…yeah I will.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yes Harry,” chuckled Albert. “But just know I don’t care how simple it is or what it’s about, any argument from here on out I automatically win because you proposed over the phone.”

Harry laughed. “Deal.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

* * *

 

They both agreed on a simple affair. No need to make it something that neither of them weren’t. Harry wanted to do it for the symbolism, for getting to put that ring on Albert’s finger. And Albert was doing it for Harry so he was willing to go along with whatever the man said (within reason of course).

The only person Albert could think of that he’d want to be there, to know, was Denise and of course she was only too willing to come. Frank and Doris also came and Albert couldn’t help but notice how for once, Doris seemed to be able to function and breathe better. Albert wasn’t sure if it was just because it happened to be a good day for her or if she was actively trying to keep it together for her brother-in-law. Either way Albert was thankful he had the chance to truly talk with her again.

He’d missed their conversations and it was sad knowing that the grief would likely take her again. But even if only for a few hours, it was good to talk to her.

That was all there were for the actual ceremony. Again, no reason to rent out a church or anything else when neither needed that. It was the reception that was definitely more festive though with many of the residents of Twin Peaks coming together to celebrate their favorite sheriff finally getting hitched.

Harry had never exactly made an announcement but by this point, almost everyone had known who he was dating and for the few that had still been blind, well this was about as obvious as one could get.

When the socializing was done though and it was just them, Albert couldn’t help but fiddle with the ring now on his finger, spinning it round and round with a smile dancing on his lips. Oak, the fat old thing, had curled up beside him but quickly jumped onto the coffee table when Harry sat back down.

“Not regretting anything I hope,” Harry said, though the humor in his voice showed that he knew well enough that Albert wasn’t.

“It’s just…surprisingly nice,” Albert replied. “But in a way…it doesn’t feel like anything’s changed.”

“Well, we’ve been together for over two decades.”

“True. Might as well have been married,” snorted Albert. “But the sentiment and the ring…I like it.”

“Good,” Harry murmured, leaning in for a kiss just as Oak decided to jump in between them instead.

“I swear you have gotten more troublesome with age,” muttered Albert with an evil eye as Harry just laughed and the cat looked innocently at the two men.

* * *

 

“So,” said Albert, “how does it feel being Gordon’s boss?”

He was incredibly impressed and proud of her. He knew he could never do such a demanding job and there was far to much politics involved in such a high position for him to even toy with the idea. But head of the FBI, how times had changed.

“How does it feel to be your boss?” she asked with a sly grin.

“One step at a time shall we?”

Denise laughed good naturedly. “You know, if you needed me to, I could always change your supervisor. Or I could give you a promotion.”

“I’m fine where I am,” Albert assured her, “and besides, if I’m not around who’s going to keep an eye on Gordon?”

“Point taken. Where’s Harry by the way? I know I saw him sitting next to you.”

“He was here but he started not feeling well. Told me to tell you congratulations and sorry for not being able to stay.”

“I’m surprised you stuck around then. Everyone knows how much you hate functions like this,” Denise replied.

“Then you should find yourself extremely lucky. Out of everyone here, you are the only person that I would willing force myself to go to one of these because I do appreciate your friendship and I am proud of you for this,” said Albert. “That and Harry said he’d hurt me if I didn’t.”

“Well give him my best,” Denise laughed, “and that I hope he feels better soon. I’ll see you later Albert.”

“See you. And congratulations again.”

Albert left not long after that, his exit only being hindered when he was caught by two people and forced into relatively short conversations on his way out the door.

Harry had flown down yesterday for the ceremony for Denise and didn’t fly back until tomorrow night. They’d had plans for that night but seeing as he’d looked a little ill, Albert tried to think of something that would be good to cook tonight.

He drove home.

He got to his apartment door.

He walked in and called out Harry’s name.

He threw his coat over the couch.

And then he was running to Harry’s still body on the floor.

* * *

 

“It was probably nothing. You didn’t have to come,” said Harry.

“Like hell I didn’t have to come. You passed out without reason and were burning up yesterday,” Albert grumbled. “I’m not leaving.”

He waited with Harry for the results, he went with him to the tests when things weren’t completely conclusive.

And when they did get answers, when the ground was dropping again and Harry numbly stared at the floor, Albert remained by him and gripped him tight. Even with this bomb suddenly dropping on them, Albert wasn’t ready to give up and he certainly wasn’t ready to mourn yet.

They told Frank the truth and started to prepare things for what would happen next. Albert stayed with Harry through the entire process. He took off as much time from work as he could as it soon became clear that he wasn’t going to be able to keep working himself.

At first Frank and Doris moved back to Twin Peaks to keep an eye on him but then it became clear that he needed to be in a hospital. Harry didn’t want to go to the one in Twin Peaks because he didn’t want to be surrounded by the people he knew, didn’t want them to see him like this. A large portion of the residents didn’t even know what he was sick with and might never find out if Harry had anything to say about.

Albert convinced him into going to Seattle instead. That way Harry got what he wanted but, in Albert’s opinion, he had access to better treatments too.

Seeing Harry in a hospital bed, seeing how he didn’t always get worse but certainly never got better, it hurt Albert’s heart more than anything else in the world. He wished he could just stay by his side, that he didn’t have to constantly keep flying back for work and leaving him because of another case.

He talked to Harry about the idea of retiring but he’d quickly forced Albert to stop that line of thought.

“You’d be bored shitless,” Harry said. “You enjoy what you do and are good at it. You should hold onto the fact that you can keep doing it. I don’t want you to sacrifice something like this for me.”

Harry had a point, of course he did, but even with his valid points in mind, Albert constantly wondered if he should quit. What if he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye because of a case? What if he missed Harry on his last days?

It was a morbid thought but a possibility that Albert couldn’t ignore. He just didn’t know what to do.

* * *

 

Albert walked into the hospital room, a mixture of relief and pain swirling through him. It always felt good to see Harry rather than just a phone call but now he never knew what kind of day it would be for him. He never really seemed like he was recovering but some days were also better than others. It was like he was stuck in some horrible limbo, not able to get better but not able to die either.

When he arrived, Harry was awake and from the way he was sitting up and immediately smiling told Albert it was at least one of the better days. He set the book he’d been reading aside as Albert sat down.

“Here, brought a present. Figured that hospital food was more likely to kill you now than anything else,” Albert said as he set the food beside him. He also opened up the large messenger bag with him and pulled out Oak. The hospital didn’t exactly approve of the cat so it had become a ritual that every time Albert came, he’d pick up the fat thing from Frank and bring him to visit Harry.

Harry grinned at the bag of food as he pulled Oak into his lap.

“So how’s Frank doing?” asked Harry

“Pretty well. He’s getting situated back in the role of sheriff and Andy likes him,” Albert said.

“That’s good,” replied Harry. “I think he’s coming by tomorrow. So, what have you been up to?”

“Nothing much of late. There’s a new agent that Gordon has his eye on. Tamara Preston,” Albert said. “She’s a little to idealistic, much to awkward, but she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Gordon has had her reviewing Cooper’s files, the Blue Rose case, and the other incidents surrounding Twin Peaks.”

“Why? Is something there?”

“If it is, I never saw it and Gordon certainly hasn’t told me if there’s something more that’s popped up.”

“Seems like a waste of time for a starting Agent,” commented Harry.

“Yeah, well let’s be honest. Gordon’s never been completely linear in his thinking. I’m sure he has something planned for her down the road,” Albert replied. “So how were the tests this time around?”

They talked for a while on that before Albert talked more about what the bureau was up to these days, just going back and forth as usual. Albert fell asleep there as well, taking advantage of any time he could get with Harry. In the morning, he kissed him goodbye and took back Oak to take back to Frank since Albert couldn’t keep her. “I’ll call you once the plane’s landed.”

“Sounds good,” said Harry.

After saying hi to Frank and dropping off Oak, Albert was back on his trip home. With the dull hours that passed by, Albert couldn’t help but think of finally retiring despite Harry’s protests. He just hated how much time it took to get to see his husband and how little time they physically got together. Particularly since he just didn’t know how much time they had left.

* * *

 

If Albert could pick what his last case could be, this would be it. With this new evidence, this new person, he couldn’t rest until he knew.

The moment Albert was out of the room there was only one person he could think to call. He was there, right in front of him, but Albert felt no joy. If anything, his heart only hurt and his skin felt cold and he couldn’t help but feel his fingers shake as he hit the name and put his phone to his ear.

He didn’t bother with introductions, not that it would really matter if this was a casual call anyways. The only other person that would call him would have been Frank and Harry could distinguish between their voices easily. He heard the click, heard Harry answering.

“We found him.”

There was silence on the other end. Albert knew Harry understood. He wasn’t waiting for him to explain it. He was simply taking it in, trying to bring himself to believe it. It had been years. Twenty-five years to be exact. When he did finally speak, it wasn’t with joy either. It was a question.

“Why aren’t you happy?”

“Because…I don’t know.”

“Albert, what’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” he repeated, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “It just…I know it’s him. Gordon looked at him and saw Dale too but it’s…”

“It’s not him,” Harry supplied.

“Yes,” Albert whispered, almost like he was afraid of being overheard though by whom he wasn’t sure. “His eyes…they were like my dreams. Just black and empty.”

The words that Harry said next had Albert falling against the wall for support. He felt like he could barely stand now. “It’s happening again.”

Albert didn’t say anything, not now. Neither did Harry and the only sound on the other end was his shuttering breaths that Albert started counting because it was the only thing that would ground him in that moment.

“Albert I…”

“Please don’t say it.”

“Fine…but promise me something instead. Get him back. I just…I need to see him again. Even if it’s only to say goodbye.”

The words sounded like a dying man’s last wish. Maybe they were. “I promise,” Albert said. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Albert hung up with Harry’s words still echoing in his head. It’s happening again. He had no idea what that could mean, what that could lead too. All he knew was that the man he had seen wasn’t Cooper. It wasn’t his friend Dale and Albert would be damned if he didn’t find out the truth.


End file.
